Crying Roses
by My Conviction
Summary: Sanosuke looks after a child, alone, but content for five years after promising to his friend who died in labor. A murder in the neighborhood brings an officer to their door and changes everything. SanoSaitou yaoi
1. Prologue

** Crying Roses **  
  
By: Emmy   
  
**Prologue **  
  
---------------------   
  
He calmly ran his hand through the woman's hair, trying to soothe the pain emanating from her aching skull. She gripped the pale sheets, white-knuckled, leaning over, and clenching her teeth so she didn't cry out with the flares of the continuous pain. Her black nightgown fell over one shoulder, exposing a vast area of her pale breast, but then tumbled over her swollen belly, down to her mid thigh.   
  
The man's other hand was in her own, rubbing in comforting rings along her pearl-like, flawless skin as sweat moistened her brow. She looked up to the man next to her.   
  
"Something's wrong... pregnancy isn't supposed to hurt this much... the pain is coming from somewhere else..." The woman's shrill voice persisted, looking desperately up to the taller man.   
  
He shook his head, "It's all right... do you think they're contractions? You're just about due... should we get to the hospital?"   
  
She squeezed her eyes shut, and before he got an answer, he stood up, and began to lead her to the car upon seeing a tear trickle from her closed eye. If this was hurting a strong woman like her that much, he needed to fix it.   
  
He led her out into the night air, puddles of old rain water splashing up, soaking the bottom of his old, worn jeans every step of the way. He helped her into the passenger's seat, and shut the door behind her. He couldn't remember running faster in his life than what he did to the other side of the car. He hopped into the leather seat and flipped on the air conditioning as he buckled up and sped out of the driveway.   
  
He remembered glancing over to the woman, her face contorted over in pain as he drove, hoping that he wasn't going to be too late...   
  
------------------   
  
In the room, the continuous beep of the heart monitor was the thing that helped Sanosuke Sagara through the night. He remembered kneeling at Megumi's bedside with her hand in his, watching over her until he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. The next morning, he was greeted by his hand being squeezed, and the light of the windows waking him up.   
  
He blinked the sleep out of his eyes as looked at his friend smiling at him and waved him a good morning. He yawned and placed his chin on the edge of the bed, granting her a lazy smile.   
  
"So how are ya feelin'? You look better than ya did last night..." He got out before another yawn involuntarily reared its head.   
  
She nodded, "Yes, they have me so drugged up right now I can barely feel my hand in yours." She commented dryly, and then looked at the ceiling. "Thank god for pain-killers."   
  
"What did they say about your baby?" Sanosuke asked, standing up just long enough to pull a chair over and sit down. The cold tile against his knees all night wasn't the best thing to wake up to.   
  
"They said that the baby was fine, but it wasn't ready to come out quite yet." She stated, patting her tummy lightly. She looked up at Sanosuke. "Thank you so much for being here with me, though. I couldn't have done it without you."   
  
The brunette grinned. "Well you asked me to, and I can't really say no. You've always been there for me, Megumi."   
  
She nodded, and looked to the ceiling. "They were also wondering if I wanted to use a new drug that induces labor and gets it over with."   
  
Sanosuke cocked his head at the words she spoke, and the tone she used when she spoke them. "Well, why don't ya wait? Ya know, let nature take its course and shit? Is the baby even ready?"   
  
Megumi nodded, taking in a deep breath. "They think that... the baby is pushing against my internal organs in such a way that's causing me the pain... they think that if I just get it over with, it would be better for me. The baby is more than ready to come out, but I'm not sure..." Megumi admitted, lulling her head.   
  
Now the man was confused. "Why are you confused? It sounds like a good plan to me."   
  
Megumi carefully sat up in the bed, and took Sanosuke's hand into both of hers, and pulled them up to her chest. "Sanosuke... they think that this baby grew against my organs wrong... and they think that if I have it... when I have it, it might cause more damage than anything and... and I might die from it." Megumi said, shaking slightly, but she looked over to Sanosuke to see just what he was doing.   
  
Those words had stopped the young man's heart in his body. He shook his head, "Well then why can't you just have it surgically removed and do it that way...?" His voice cracked at the mere thought of loosing his friend.   
  
She shook her head. "I couldn't do that... the doctors told me that if I did... I may loose the baby. The baby is in the very best of health, but if we were to do it that way... we could only save one of us. Sanosuke... I came to my decision a while ago." She looked him in the eyes, squeezing his hand, trying to keep eye contact.   
  
"I want to have this baby, no matter what. Even if there's a chance that I might die, I have to. And that's what bring me to what I'm about to say Sanosuke..." Megumi started, speaking carefully, even if Sanosuke had began to shake his head madly.   
  
"Megumi! There is no way that this is going to cost you your life! It can't! It won't! There's n-no way that it--"   
  
"Shhh." Megumi soothed, giving him a look. "You're right. It's going to be all right. But I need to ask you something, just in case that .1% scenario does happen." She spoke to him as if he was a child, but in his current condition, he was as terrified of losing her as a child would have been. And he needed guidance.   
  
Sanosuke nodded, unable to stop shaking.   
  
"Please, Sanosuke, take care of my child."   
  
There. She had said it.   
  
She continued.   
  
"I have no one else to ask, and I want you to, if you could. I know how much I'm asking, and I am so sorry to put you in this situation, but I need to... I need to know that he or she is going to be safe... if I leave." Megumi finished, pleading Sanosuke.   
  
He blinked. "You're not gonna leave... yer gonna keep th-the baby safe yourself! dammit fox, ya don't need me..." Sanosuke said, desperation painted on his face.   
  
Megumi gripped his hands tightly, staring deeply into his eyes, asking in the most serious tone she could give, "Please, Sanosuke. Please."   
Sanosuke nodded after a few minutes of thought, carefully and almost incoherently, he stated, "'Course... Megumi. I can never refuse ya anything..."   
  
Her eyes lit up through the tears she was crying. She pulled Sanosuke to her and embraced him, squeezing so tightly as if she was never going to let go. "T-Thank you so much, Sanosuke! Thank you..."   
  
He nodded, not letting her see the tears that were falling freely down his face.   
  
But he was sure that she felt them soaking through her hospital gown...   
  
-------------------   
  
Sanosuke paced around the waiting room desperately, not allowed to enter the delivery room because he wasn't the husband or immediate family. He was waiting... waiting for news, waiting for anything. He needed to know what happened...   
  
All at once, the door opened and out walked a nurse, smiling at him.   
  
"Congratulations. You have a new baby girl!" She cheered with a glowing smile.   
  
His heart froze. "I have a new baby girl... Megumi doesn't...? What happened to the mother?!" His words were choked, his fists clenched tight enough to draw blood.   
  
She shook her head, "We weren't able to save the mother, sir."   
  
Sanosuke's knees gave out, and he fell to the floor, tears washing over his cheeks as he screamed out in pain. He had lost his best friend... What more could he do...?   
  
"Please, Mr. Sagara, what would you like to name your baby girl?" The nurse said, trying to keep her chipper tone as her eyes revealed how truly sad she was for losing the life of a patient.   
  
Sanosuke looked up, abruptly wiping his cheeks with the sleeve of his shirt. He thought for a moment, as he tried to stop the sobs that kept threatening his throat. He looked at her and then said one word.   
  
"Aya."   
  
The nurse smiled. "Then come in and hold Aya Sagara."   
  
"No. Not Sagara. Takani. I want to keep her last name, please." Sanosuke cut in, looking up at the nurse for confirmation.   
  
She nodded, still smiling and finished sweetly, "Come in and hold Aya Takani, then."   
  



	2. Chapter One

** Crying Roses **  
  
By: Emmy   
  
**Part One **  
  
------------------   
  
"Come on, Saitou, just stick around!" A man begged, tugging down the edge of his own jacket as it began to ride up over his chubby hips. The man in question quickly shook his head.   
  
"If the rest of today is going to be nothing more than routine questioning, then please spare me." He muttered though the cigarette poking out of the corner of his mouth. He pulled his uniform jacket on and grabbed his briefcase, ready to head home.   
  
The other man, his underling, raised his voice one more time. "Please, Saitou! Just take these three guys! They're all in the same area, they are neighbors around where the murder took place! Please, please, please take them! Their not on my way home and--"   
  
"They're on mine?" Saitou filled in, tapping the ashes of the nearly-burned-out cigarette on the edge of the tray.   
  
His underling, Miki Fumihara bared his teeth in what looked to be an attempt to smile. Only it looked more like a prelude to a grunt. "Yes! Now please take them! They don't even have to be done tonight! Just think of it as homework!" Miki begged, clasping his hands together in a plea. "Please! I'll be yer best friend."   
  
Saitou glared and snatched the papers away from the desperate man, looking over the names headlining the small forms. He looked down at the cigarette in his gloved hand. Burned to the filter. He crushed it in the ashtray and gathered his belonging, walking out of the office. But before he left, he called back into the room, "And you're not to address me as your best friend, Fumihara."   
  
The door shut and Miki glared, puffing out a sigh. "Heh, yer loss."   
  
---------------------------   
  
Saitou stepped into his car, parked in the police parking lot, and read over the addresses. This wouldn't take that long, but it was still a pain to bother with. He buckled his safety belt and pulled out of the parking lot, holding the papers in the same hand he held the steering wheel with. He glanced over the name and sighed. There were four.   
  
'So that bastard Fumihara had snuck and extra one in, did he? Next time we're on patrol, that little dwarf is going to get it.' Saitou thought to himself, gritting his teeth. That man always rubbed him the wrong way... he wasn't sure if it was that pudgy, unshaven face, or his personality. But there was definitely something that pushed his buttons....   
  
"Akio Okoyama... Takayuki Dezaki... Kazuyoshi Sugino... Sanosuke Sagara..." Saitou randomly said, scanning over the names and the pictures. All Japanese citizens... He groaned and scratched his neck as he pulled into the subdivision of the murder. He parked in the circle drive and eyed the house where the yellow 'CAUTION' tape was circling. He looked at the addresses.   
  
2947 belonged to Okoyama, right next to the scene. He looked back down to the papers again. 2951 (2949 would have been the murder scene) belonged to Dezaki, on the other side of the murder. Saitou fiddled around in his pocket for another cigarette. He pulled out the pack and frowned to find out that he only had one left. He decided that he was going to need it for the ride home. Often times, the neighbors were touchy about foiling the image of their perfect neighborhood with the taint of murder, and didn't want to believe any of it. Others thought that they were being questioned about the murder, and got a little too defensive. Either way, Saitou needed to leave that cigarette for the drive home...   
  
He looked at last two addresses. Both Sugino and Sagara were across the street from the scene. Saitou made up his mind to go in order from there, and see how things progressed.   
  
---------------------------   
  
Yes, indeed. It had been another routine questioning. One in which the headache he got was greater than any other element in the investigation. Okoyama had been too stoned to answer any questions, and, from the looks of it, an avid druggy. Saitou would come back the next day when he had time, and indeed talk to the man pumped on neurotics again, so there was no need to worry about that.   
  
Dezaki was one of those nosey neighborhood women that gave Saitou the, "Well, from what I hear she was sleeping around and he found out about her relationship with the male stripper, and thus, proposed a three-some that ended in death." And when he informed her that it was a young boy no more than seven killed, she muttered to herself, "I can't believe what the world's coming to nowadays! Good day, officer!"   
  
Sugino immediately told him that he was nowhere near the house at the time, he was out of the state visiting his kids and his divorced wife, after promptly muttering 'bitch' under his breath. And now there was only one more house to go. A house where a young man in his early twenties lived, by the name of Sanosuke Sagara.   
  
His hand dove into his pocket looking for the box where the single cigarette was, and brought it out. He stuck it between his pressed lips quickly and fumbled with the lighter. He was on his wit's end with morons, and hoped that this wouldn't be another one. Taking a deep draw on the cigarette to calm his nerves, he approached the house. He walked up to the smaller, but well-taken care of house, and gruffly knocked on the door three times. He waited, tapping his foot on the 'Welcome' doormat, that was nicely accented with a splatter of pink paint, and reached up to knock once more.   
  
However, before he could reach the door and knock, the white door opened and he was faced with a handsome, young, shirtless man in the door, peering out with a young girl slung over his shoulder. He blinked as he looked at the officer.   
  
"Good afternoon, Mr. Sagara, I came here to--"   
  
"Shhh!!" He cut Saitou off harshly.   
  
The officer raised an eyebrow.   
  
He quickly added in, "She's sleeping!" In a hushed whisper.   
  
Saitou nodded in acknowledgment. Sanosuke gestured for the man to come in. He glanced at his uniform, gently rocking the girl in a white cotton sun dress and about a dozen pink bows in her hair. Saitou followed the youth into a living room, where toys were cast all over the floor. He looked over to the officer and quickly mouthed, "I'll be right back! Gotta put her to sleep!"   
  
Saitou nodded as the brunette disappeared up the stairs. He looked around the room where he saw a few Barbies, legos, and Barbies in lego towers cast aimlessly around the room. In a matter of moment, the young man wearing only a pair of draw-string pants was back in the room, yawning and looking at Saitou. "What can I do for ya, officer?"   
  
"Well I--"   
  
He was abruptly cut off as Sanosuke snatched the cigarette from the man's lips and crushed it, quickly disposing of it in the trash can. Saitou's words lingered in his mouth as he watched the youth walk back from where he had thrown it away, and smiled.   
  
"Sorry 'bout that. But it's bad for kid's lungs, ya know?" The young man explained, as if he just justified everything.   
  
Saitou gritted his teeth. "I see."   
  
"So what is it?" Sanosuke asked again, throwing a glance down to the floor. "Sorry it's such a mess! I wasn't really expectin' any company today or else I would have asked Aya to clean up her stuff..."   
  
"It's no bother. I came here today to ask about the murder that happened across the street from you." Saitou stated drably, searching vainly in his pocket for something that would keep him occupied.   
  
Sanosuke's face fell for a moment as he asked, "You mean Mamoru? Little kid?"   
  
"Yes, I do. You knew the family?" Saitou asked as his hand found his lighter, which he settled for, squeezing the small cylinder for dear life.   
  
"I did. Aya used to play with him a lot. She had a big crush on him, and I used to take them both to the park once in a while, when I had time." Sanosuke finished, crossing his arms over his chest.   
  
'A nicely toned chest.' Saitou added mentally with a small smirk on his face. But then he quickly dismissed the fact.   
  
"Do you have any idea who would have done it?" Saitou asked.   
  
Sanosuke shrugged. "Usually when people kill kids, it's because they're fucking nuts themselves or they had a bone to pick with the parents, right? You work in homicide, and isn't that what usually happens?"   
  
Saitou nodded, "But those aren't the only reason. Some times the child--"   
  
"I don't think that it had to do with Mamoru at all. He was a sweet kid. But his parents are into politics and all that shit, ya might want to check that out, look for enemies of the family. That's what my first guess would be." Sanosuke stated.   
  
"I didn't ask for your opinion on suspects, I was just going to ask if you saw anything suspicious on that night." Saitou stated quickly, the boy's arrogance grating his nerves.   
  
Sanosuke glared. "No. I was out taking Aya to a movie that night. She was nearly scared to death, coming home to all the sirens and flashing lights."   
  
"You're a very responsible baby-sitter. Who are her parents?" Saitou asked, looking the boy over. It couldn't have been his. According to the profile he was twenty-one, and that girl looked to be about four or five.   
  
Sanosuke glowered at the man. "I adopted her. I am her father."   
  
Saitou raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Well, it seems like you're doing a fair enough job." And he turned his back to leave.   
  
"I didn't ask you for your opinion on the subject." Sanosuke spat back. He wasn't getting along with this cop. He had offered him his input, and had gotten nothing but smart-assed answers back.   
  
Saitou left quickly, shutting the door behind him.   
  
Sanosuke shook his head, placing his hands on his hips, muttering under his breath, "Yeah, see if I ever give back to my fuckin' country again."   
  
He paused as he heard a faint crying coming from upstairs. He ran up the steps quickly, took a deep breath, and looked into the room where Aya was peering out from under the covers, sea-green eyes filled with tears. She sniffed a few times and spread her arms as Sanosuke came to sit down on the edge of the bed. Sanosuke smiled at her and scooped her into his arms, kissing her on the nose.   
  
"Now what is it, Aya-chan?"   
  
"Aya had a bad dream..." She said, trailing off, gripping Sanosuke's shoulder.   
  
Sanosuke pulled her away and pressed his forehead against hers, looking into her eyes. "Oh? And what was the dream about?"   
  
"There was a big scary-man chasing Aya! He was trying to eat Aya up!" The girl gushed, tugging on Sanosuke's ears.   
Sanosuke grinned. "Well I can beat the shit out of that man, Aya-chan! If he comes after ya again, you know what I'm gonna do?"   
  
"Beat the shit out of him!" Aya chanted with a small giggle.   
  
Sanosuke nodded, smiling and giving her a kiss on the forehead. He scooped up the little girl into his arms. "Here, I'll be here, and when you see that man, point him out so I can beat him up, all right?"   
  
Aya nodded, lulling her head in the crook of Sanosuke's neck. "Yay! Daddy's a super hewo!!" She chanted over and over again.   
  
Sano bounced her down the stairs, heading down to get a bit to eat from himself. "And what super hero am I?" Sanosuke asked, leaning over to peck the small girl on the cheek.   
  
She giggled. "We're a super hewo team!"   
  
"And what team would that be, babe?" Sanosuke asked, opening the refrigerator, and pulling out a carton of milk.   
  
"We're Powerpuff Girls!!" She giggled.   
  
Sano had been drinking out of the carton, and nearly sprayed all the milk he had been drinking back into it. He cocked his head to look at the content girl "We're the Powerpuff Girls?"   
  
She bobbed her head up and down with a grin. "You're Buttercup and I'm Bubbles!"   
  
Sanosuke chuckled. "And who's Blossom?"   
  
Aya had a very quizzical look on her face. "Teddy!" She finally determined, referring to a stuffed bunny.   
  
"Well, there we go. Now is there anything that you want to eat?" Her adopted father asked, giving her an angle to peer into the refrigerator.   
  
She shook her head visciously. "No! I have to save the world 'fore bedtime!"   
  
---------------------------------   
  
End of part one   
  



	3. Chapter Two

** Crying Roses **  
  
By: Emmy   
  
**Part Two **  
  
---------------------   
  
"Saitou, you should know better than anyone that these profiles of the family don't make sense." Fumihara stated, leaning back in his chair, flipping through file after file. He frowned and looked up at the other man. "Or do you just not care?"   
  
Saitou sent a glare in the man's direction, stopping his typing at his laptop for a moment to growl out, "Fumihara, you must know that people's opinions on other people vary as much as their common beliefs do. All the information that we got on the parents tells us one thing and one thing only. They were not the ones that killed their son, and therefore are ruled out of the suspect list. That's all we need to know."   
  
Miki glared and slapped a certain file down on the desk. "But according to this file, there's still room for suspicion!"  
  
Saitou looked at the man once more. "Fumihara. They are no longer suspects. Period."   
  
Miki frowned and urged on, "Aren't you even going to see what I have in the folder?!"   
  
"No. I know I'm right and that's all there is to it." Saitou stated firmly. "I have to go. There's something that I have to do that I left unfinished yesterday."   
  
The chubbier of the two granted Saitou a shocked expression. "Oh god, Hajime Saitou left something undone?!"   
  
"Shut up."   
  
"Yes, sir."   
  
--------------------   
  
Saitou walked on the sidewalk of the familiar subdivision, over towards the house of the drug addict he might as well turn in now. He paused as he heard a squeal come from behind him, and as he slowly turned around, his eyes landed on the man he had questioned the day before and his daughter. Saitou took a moment to stop and watch the pair. Sanosuke was trimming the bushes with a pair of gardening sheers, and the little girl was frolicking around in the sprinkler.   
  
It was the first time he had seen the girl awake before, but she seemed quite happy, hopping through the water in a pale yellow and blue bathing suite. The little girl's long raven locks were pulled back into a braid and tied off with an indigo ribbon. She was giggling and squealing each time the cold water hit her body, and   
Sanosuke was smiling and chuckling as he watched her.   
  
Saitou stopped for a moment longer, knowing the young man hadn't noticed his presence yet. The thing that confused Saitou was the question of why Sanosuke would adopt a child. If she was his on child support, Saitou could understand, but why adoption at such a young age? Sanosuke didn't seem too keen on finding a girlfriend. He seemed t want to devote all of his attention to the child. But why?   
  
Saitou couldn't help noticing that all Sanosuke was wearing was a pair of swim trucks and a very wet white T-shirt. He caught himself grinning as his eyes wandered over the young, muscled body, but he was forced to tear his eyes away as they landed on the youth's ass, and the youth noticed him. He turned away and walked over to the house where he was supposed to be going.   
  
"Hey! Officer!" He heard called out from behind him.   
  
Saitou turned around to look at the man addressing him.   
  
It was Sanosuke. He waited for him to continue.   
  
"If you're looking for Akio, he went out last night, and he won't be back for a week!" Sanosuke called, and Saitou groaned.   
  
Saitou's eyes wandered down to the little girl. She had stopped bouncing around in the water and was now looking up at him. Saitou jammed his hands into his pockets and began to walk back towards the boy. As soon as his feet had touched the panel of sidewalk that stretched into their yard, he asked, "You saw him leave?"   
  
Sanosuke nodded. "Yeah, he asked me to water his yard."   
  
'Well, aren't you just the good citizen.' Saitou thought to himself, watching the young man, who had stopped pruning the bushes. Sanosuke wiped his sweaty brow and spoke up again.   
  
"Hey, are you going to tell me what your name is, or do I have to keep calling ya officer and asshole?"   
  
Saitou raised an eyebrow. "I haven't heard you call me asshole."   
  
Sanosuke chuckled nervously, "Oh. I guess that was just under my breath."   
  
Saitou grinned to himself, but didn't allow the boy to see it. "My name's Hajime Saitou."   
  
Sanosuke's eyes widened for a moment, and it was then that Saitou felt a wet mass latch onto his leg. He slowly looked down to see a pair of teal eyes peaking through raven bangs up at him.   
  
"Shit! Aya-chan... don't do that! Come back here!" Sanosuke's voice pleaded, scared about what this officer would think about his daughter latching onto his leg...   
  
Aya merely grinned up at the older man. "Nice to meet you, off'cer! I'm Aya!"   
  
Saitou chuckled and reached down to pick the sopping girl up in his arms. Sanosuke jaw dropped as she hugged Saitou's neck, and giggled as Saitou held her. "A pleasure to meet you too, Aya." The man returned politely.   
  
Aya looked around to her father, "We friends now, daddy!!"   
  
Sanosuke still looked nervous, but nodded. "That's very good, Aya-chan..."   
  
Saitou looked over at Sanosuke, while the brunette self-consciously places his hands on his hips. Bouncing the girl lightly into a giggling fit, Saitou walked over to Sanosuke with the child. The rooster head extended his arms as Saitou brought Aya over.   
  
"You know, I've made friends with your daughter, but not with you." Saitou started randomly.   
  
Sanosuke raised an eyebrow as he took the girl Saito held into his arms.   
  
Saitou leaned in a little closer to him to whisper in a low voice into his ear, "I would like to get to know you better."   
  
Sanosuke took the girl into his arms and drew away with a slight flush on his cheeks.   
  
Aya giggled, "You can go out on a date!"   
  
Sanosuke's eyes widened and looked down at the little girl. "Aya-chan!? What are you saying? You can't be suggesting something--"   
  
The little girl cut him off, looking up at her daddy with a very serious look on her face. "But when Aya asked why Aya didn't have a mommy, you said it was because you didn't like girls!!" She persisted, and Sanosuke's face flushed even more.   
  
Saitou watched on with an amused smirk on his face.   
  
"N-no, I didn't--"   
  
"Yes-huh!!"   
  
"I'd say Aya won." Saitou cut in, and Aya nodded quickly, glowing.   
  
"So that means that you two should go out on a date and then get married and then Aya can have a little baby bro'er!" Aya cooed, bouncing up and down within Sanosuke's grasp.   
  
The dynamics of 'having a baby brother' were clouding Saitou's mind, but the whole suggestion from Sanosuke's own adopted daughter was even more so.   
  
Sanosuke slowly looked up to the officer and said, "She doesn't know what she's saying, please don't take it the wrong way. She--"   
  
"She's perfectly right. I'd say Aya has a great idea." Saitou stated flippantly, and Sanosuke went from red to white, in quick succession.   
  
"What?"   
  
"Unless, of course, you're opposed to it." Saitou added in, but both Aya and Sanosuke shook their heads.   
  
"I never said I was opposed! I just thought that... well..." Sanosuke shook his head, "I wasn't expecting it."   
  
"Well then, what are you doing tonight?" Saitou asked, mentally checking his agenda to remember when he was free and when he wasn't.   
  
Sanosuke ran a hand through his hair. "N-nothing. Nothing at all."   
  
"Well, then it's a date. I'll take you out to dinner." Saitou stated, and Sanosuke nodded.   
  
"That sounds great." A smile worked its way across Sanosuke's face as he watched Saitou back up and head for his car.   
  
"I'll pick you up at seven." Saitou stated, and waited for a nod.   
  
"Seven it is!" The brunette confirmed, trying not to do anything else stupid at that moment.   
  
Saitou grinned, and hopped in his car, leaving the scene. Sanosuke blinked, trying to go over what just happened. He looked down to the match-maker in his arms, telling himself that he should be glaring, but he couldn't help but give her a big kiss.   
  
Aya giggled to herself. "Grown-ups're funny!"   
  
-----------------------   
  
End of part two   
  



	4. Chapter Three

** Crying Roses**  
  
By: Emmy  
  
**Part Three**  
  
--------------------  
  
"Daddy's got a date! Daddy's got a date!" Aya giggled over and over again, sitting up on the table as she watched Sanosuke scramble to get ready. Saitou had said that he would be there at seven, and as soon as they parted ways in the morning, Sanosuke had taken a nap.  
  
And then Aya decided to wake him up around six thirty.  
  
And that would be the exact reason Sanosuke was struggling to get ready while Aya sat on the table, giggling, "Daddy's got a date and Daddy isn't ready!"  
  
Sanosuke paused to look at his daughter for a moment and glared. "Aya-chan! Yer not helping! And get off the table!"  
  
She pouted. "Why? You sit here all the time!"  
  
Sanosuke groaned and ducked back into the bathroom. He didn't have time to argue with her, and in the end, due to her excessive cuteness, she was going to win anyway. Sanosuke wasn't in the mood for pointless battles.  
  
"Aya-chan, is the baby-sitter here yet?" Sanosuke asked from in the bathroom.  
  
Aya blinked and hopped off the and then over to the window out looking the street. "Yay! A car pulled in!" She announced loudly, but then blinked. "Oh. That's the off'er."  
  
"What?!" Sanosuke demanded, looking down to his watch. "He's early!"  
  
She grinned. "Whatta you ex'ect?"  
  
"Just... uh-- wait for Misao, and entertain Hajime!" Sanosuke tried, running upstairs into his bedroom as quickly as he could.   
  
Aya blinked, and then turned around as she heard a knock at the door. She turned around slowly and hobbled over to the door, frowning at the handle she couldn't reach. She looked around and called out, "Wait!" Hmm... where did the footrest run off to? She glanced around the living room and smiled happily as her eyes landed on the stool she was looking for. She pranced over and grabbed it, pulling it to the door with all her might.   
  
She took a few moments to breath from the sheer weight of the thing on her small body and then hopped up on it, unlocking the door and pulling it open. She pulled, she realized that the footstool as blocking her way. So she tugged harder.   
  
Aya yelped as the wheels on the underside of the stool began to move, throwing her backwards. With her mouth open, ready to cry, she waited for her body to slam into the ground.  
  
Only it didn't come.  
  
She blinked and looked up to see that the officer had caught her. Her eyes widened and she hopped forward to wrap his arms around his neck, grinning. "Hallo!"  
  
He chuckled. "You have to be more careful on those things." He scolded and she nodded.  
  
"It was a-a accident!" She finally stated and squirmed out of Saitou's grip to get back on the floor. "Daddy over slept, and he's trying to get ready right now. I've gotta look for the Aya-sitter!"  
  
He cocked his head with a grin as she hopped up on the couch to look out the window. "The Aya-sitter?"  
  
"'m not a baby! So it's Aya-sitter, 'cause she watches Aya! Duh!" She explained, and looked out the window. She paused for a second, and then looked back to Saitou. "This is borin'! Play with me!"  
  
-----------------  
  
Sanosuke looked around wildly for his cell phone. He needed it in case Misao needed to reach him! He blanked and quickly lunged for a drawer, thinking about where he could have put it. He dug around and blinked as a paper slid out of the stack. Sanosuke picked it up an eyed it for a moment, reading the neat print on the page with a raised eyebrow.  
  
'In the sleep induced phase that I'm currently surrounded in, my mind begins to wander about why I'm here. One thing that I know for a fact, is how lucky I am. Sanosuke stayed with me, day in the day out, through good and bad. I can never thank him enough and --'  
  
Sanosuke's eyes cut short as he realized just what he was reading.   
  
Megumi's diary.  
  
He placed the page back, and grinned as he heard a familiar ringing.  
  
He peered over to where the noise was coming from, and looked through the papers.   
  
"There you are..." he commented to himself as he pulled the cell phone out through the papers and pillows covering it. Thank God it had been hooked onto the adapter under all those coverings...  
  
And then it stopped ringing.   
  
He shrugged. No big loss. If it was important, they would call back anyway.  
  
Thinking that, Sanosuke headed down the stairs and to the living room where Saitou and Aya had been waiting for him. Saitou looked around to the youth and granted him a grin. Sanosuke set the phone down on the counter and smiled once more at Saitou, reminding himself to pick it up and put it in his coat as soon as they were ready to leave.  
  
"Aya was showing just how proper you're supposed to play with Puppies in my Pocket." Saitou stated, and all the brunette could do was chuckle.  
  
"Yeah, but he was lookin' at Benji the wrong way!" Aya announced, looking around. "Oh! The Aya-sitter's here!" She loudly announced and hopped over to the window to watch as she was dropped off.  
  
Sanosuke nodded, crossing his arms and looked over at Saitou. "Look's like we can head out soon."  
  
"It looks like we can." Saitou stated, and nodded at the girl who was walking through the front door.  
  
"Hey there, Sanosuke! How are you doing?" She greeted with a large smile. "I am so sorry that I'm late! I got stuck at a volleyball game! We were tied for the longest time, and then ended it with sudden death." She winked.  
  
The brunette looked over to Aya and then to Misao. "So how did you guys do?"  
  
"Oh course we won in the end!" Misao announced, and then laughed as Aya latched onto her leg.  
  
"Yay! The Aya-sitter's here!" Aya squealed.  
  
Misao grinned at her and knelt down to pick her up. "I've got some cute tapes for us to watch tonight! I also got ya a present!"  
  
"A present!?" The small girl's eyes widened and her jaw dropped.  
  
Misao nodded, "Yup, a present, for my favorite Aya to sit!"  
  
The sitter looked around to where Sanosuke was standing, waiting for directions.  
  
"Thanks, Misao. We'll probably be back around nine, but make sure that Aya gets to bed at eight. I have dinner for both of you in the oven, so all ya have to do is warm it up. Aya's been playing with the phone lately and calling anyone her fingers can dial in, so keep her away from that, all right?" Sanosuke instructed.  
  
Misao happily nodded, "Will do! You have a great time tonight, Sanosuke!"  
  
The rooster head smiled, "Thanks, you too!" And then walked out the door with his date.  
  
Misao smirked down to Aya. "So daddy's got a new boyfriend, huh? You have to fill me in on everything!"  
  
------------------  
  
The two had been talking for the majority of the drive, and it was at that point that Sanosuke asked one thing that he had been a little curious about all along. He looked to his side where Saitou was driving and cleared his throat. "Hey, Hajime? Where are we going?"  
  
"Jaded China. I'm sure that you've heard of it." Saitou answered quickly, eyes lingering on the boy before he turned back to the road.  
  
Sanosuke's jaw dropped. "Hell yeah, I've heard of it! But I haven't even stepped foot in that district, let alone the biggest, most expensive fucking restaurant there! Damnit, you should have told me! I should have worn something different!"  
  
"Hn. You look fine, don't worry about it. This is your chance to eat here." The older man stated with a smirk.  
  
Sanosuke sunk down in his seat, arms crossed in a half-hearted pout. "Ehh, I'm gonna feel weird!"  
  
"It's all right. You'll be fine." Saitou assured, and Sanosuke nodded carefully.  
  
"If you say so..."  
  
--------------------  
  
Sanosuke burst out laughing during dinner, catching the attention of multiple people around them, listening to Saitou recall his training of a younger officer. He didn't think the seemly stoic man held a sense of humor, but had he ever been wrong! Sanosuke continued to chuckle, pulling his glass of wine to his lips for a sip. Saitou had this talent of making him feel right at home. Sanosuke forgot about his settings, and focused on only Saitou and the delicious food set in front of him. At the beginning of the meal, he had ordered light, knowing that he wouldn't have enough money otherwise to foot his part of the bill.  
  
It was at that point that Saitou noticed, and told him that it was on him.   
  
After quite a bit of arguing, Saitou had come out victorious, and that's where they were right now.   
  
"Damn, I hadn't thought that firing a gun -that- way was possible!" Sanosuke blurted, grinning like an idiot as his chuckles resided.  
  
Saitou had a slight smirk on his face as he nodded. "As did I... as did I."  
  
Saitou looked down to his watch for a moment and looked back over to Sanosuke. "We should be heading back soon, it's nearly nine, and that's when you told the baby-sitter that you would be back."  
  
"Aya-sitter." Sanosuke quickly corrected, giving Saitou a lop-sided grin.  
  
Saitou nodded with a smirk, and repeated, "The Aya-sitter. You told the Aya-sitter nine."  
  
The brunette bobbed his head in confirmation and laid his hand across the table, placing it lightly on top of Saitou. The older man's hand moved to intertwine their fingers and then had to ask one thing.  
  
"Before, Aya said that you didn't get out much. I can hardly see how that would happen. You seem to be attractive and available." Saitou asked, rubbing circles on the back of Sanosuke hand.  
  
The youth looked around the table almost carefully, worried about where his gaze would land. He cautiously looked up at Saitou. "Actually, when I first adopted Aya, I had a boyfriend. And then after she moved in with us, he left after a week. He couldn't take it..."  
  
Saitou raised an eyebrow. "Why did you adopt her in the first place, Sanosuke? That was one thing that I couldn't figure out. It doesn't seem like teenagers would be interested in adoption at that point in their lives. Why was it different for you?"  
  
Sanosuke bit his lip carefully, and looked up at Saitou. Saitou gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.   
  
"Well... I had a best friend. She was a doctor, and she had gotten pregnant. Her boyfriend left her, and I helped her through it. What else could I do, ya know? She had been there for me all my life, and at this point, she had no one else..." He trailed off the took a deep breath. "But all the time she was pregnant, she got these really bad stomach aches. I thought it was just part of the pregnancy, but she told me that patients shouldn't get those. I told her that since she had never experienced the aches like her patients had, she may just be thinking about making nothing something. I've heard that some pregnancies are walking in the park. The nine months and the labor. And I just thought that Megumi wasn't one of those people..."  
  
Saitou nodded, urging his story to continue.  
  
"Well, it was right around the time she was due that the pains got worse, and so I took her to a hospital for it. The next morning, we found out that the baby had grown pressed up against Megumi's internal organs, and in the end it was either her or the baby. She had chosen the baby... and she... asked me to take care of it." Sanosuke shook his head, he had tried to forget about all the pain that Megumi must have gone through... but it had ended then. "And I accepted. She had... made up her mind. And that's who Aya is."  
  
Saitou nodded, giving Sanosuke's hand another squeeze. "You have done an amazing job at raising her, I have to admit."  
  
The brunette let a sad smile come to his face. "Thanks..."  
  
"Anyway, why haven't you even considered a relationship?" Saitou asked again.  
  
"Well... like I said, my boyfriend left me when Aya came along. Sure, there have been a lot of girls that have been understanding about Aya, and Aya might need a mother, even if she doesn't know it. But that's the problem. I don't like women. And all the guys I've met automatically have issues with the fact that I have a kid. There were a couple that I did really like... but they always made me choose between them and Aya. And when I chose Aya, they left. I just decided that the only person that I really needed was Aya, and no one else." Sanosuke finished, taking another sip of his wine.  
  
Saitou looked at him in the eyes. "Then why did you say yes to my invitation?"  
  
A slight blush covered Sanosuke's cheeks as he blinked. "I-I'm not too sure myself..."  
  
Saitou chuckled, "Well, I'm glad that you did. We should probably be getting you back home soon. I bet Aya is missing her father."  
  
Sanosuke grinned. "I bet Aya is sleeping."  
  
------------------  
  
"Aya-chan! Come back here!" Misao called, chasing after the little girl who had just recently ran outside because she said that she had forgotten something in the yard. Misao looked around in the dark, it was a little past nine, and she hadn't the slightest idea about where Sanosuke was. "Aya-chan!" She called again.  
  
Three seconds later, Aya came bounding back to the sound of her voice. "Misao! I found Neko! A man helped me! He was nice!"  
  
Misao blinked, "A man helped you?"  
  
"Yup! Let's get back in the house!" Aya announced, but Misao was still fighting the feeling in the pit of her stomach.  
  
A man?  
  
She shook her head. It must have been Aya-chan's imagination. "Come on, Aya-chan! We need to get you to bed!"  
  
"Dun wanna!!"  
  
----------------  
  
Sanosuke stepped into his side of the car as Saitou did the same from the empty parking lot. As his rear end landed on the cool leather he smiled and sighed, "Damn, that was a fucking great meal! Expensive too! I'll make it up to ya some day in the future, all right?"  
  
Saitou shook his head. "It's all right. It was my treat."  
  
Sanosuke paused for a moment, looking up at the sky though the sunroof. Saitou placed his hands on the keys, but was quickly interrupted as he heard Sanosuke cut in, "No! Don't turn the car on... just wait a second."  
  
Saitou gave the youth a curious look, who was readjusting his seat to lay on his back. Sanosuke looked up to the stars through the window and felt the cool air of night around him. He brought his arms up and rested them on his forehead. Saitou watched him intently as the rooster head's eyelids fluttered shut. The older man did nothing to stop his eyes from wandering along the muscled body.  
  
Saitou unbuckled his seat belt and silently leaned over the youth, pressing his lips to Sanosuke's. He pulled away right before Sanosuke's eyes opened. Sanosuke grinned. "What was that for?"  
  
Saitou shrugged. "Something that I felt like doing."  
  
Sanosuke's hands timidly moved from where there were resting and cupped Saitou's cheek, pulling his head back down to his lips. Saitou shifted over a little bit to give him a better angle to kiss the younger man at. Hesitantly, he slipped his tongue into Sanosuke's mouth and kissed him deeper. Sanosuke moaned against the touch, and moved his arms from Saitou's face, to his back, pulling him closer.  
  
Sanosuke pulled away. "W-wait... I... this might be a stupid time to say this, but do you have a cell phone? I... uh... forgot mine at home..."  
  
Saitou laughed to himself and reached to the dashboard where it lay. "Here."  
  
-----------------  
  
Misao looked around the room wildly as she heard a phone ringing. Aya was sleeping up stairs, and she hurried to the phone, trying to get it before it woke Aya up.   
  
"Hello?" She quickly greeted.  
  
"Hey, Misao, it's me." The other voice stated.  
  
"Where are you? Caught in traffic? Working for a meal you didn't have the money to pay for?" She asked with a laugh.  
  
"Eh... no but... mmm, Hajime, stop that for a sec, all right...!?"  
  
Misao blinked. "Uh... is everything all right over there?"  
  
"Y-yeah, everything great... but I need you to stay a little longer... we got... caught up with something..." Sanosuke stated, and Misao questioned the way he was breathlessly talking. It was like he just got done running a marathon.  
  
"Um, all right. I guess I'll see ya later tonight. What time do you think, because I'll need a ride home..."  
  
"I have... n-no idea right now... I'll just take you home wh-when I get back, all right?"  
  
"Sounds good."  
  
And then the other line promptly hung up. Misao looked at the phone and blinked. She shrugged her shoulders. It wasn't any of her business anyhow...  
  
--------------------------  
  
End of part three 


	5. Chapter Four

Notes : Nothing this time   
  
Warnings: AU, Sano/Saitou  
  
**Crying Roses**  
  
By: Emmy  
  
**Part Four**  
  
-----------------------  
  
Misao looked at the clock and sighed. She had long since gotten her homework done, and there was still no sight of Sanosuke or his date.   
  
And it was a little past midnight.  
  
She laid her head down on the table, breathing in a heavy sigh. Aya had been a good girl all night, and she had been asleep since nine. Her bedtime might have been eight, but she claimed that she couldn't get to sleep unless her Neko was in bed with her. And that had been the reason the little girl disappeared outside. After she came back in, Misao had taken every precaution to make sure all the windows and doors were locked.  
  
Aya had said that she talked to a man... and she had no idea who the girl could have been talking about.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door that snapped her out of her thought process. She looked around the room hesitantly, and got to her feet. She rushed to the door and unlocked it, smiling as she looked at the two in the doorway.  
  
"Hey you two! I hope you had fun!" Misao cheered, with a smile slapped on her face that wasn't normal for a teenage girl to have past midnight.   
  
Sanosuke nodded with a smile, and then quickly said, with a yawn, "I'll take ya home now, Misao."  
  
"No, if it's all right, I can take you home." Saitou quickly cut in, "I'm out driving anyway, and you're tired, Sanosuke."  
  
The brunette blinked, and shook his head, "It's my job, I can do it. It won't take that long, it's not too far from here and--"  
  
"Then I'll go and save you the trouble." Saitou stated again, and Sanosuke looked between him and Misao for a moment.  
  
"Would that be all right with you, Misao?" Sanosuke asked hesitantly.  
  
Misao smiled, "It's fine, Sano! Don't worry! And as he said, you're tired, just get to bed, and I'll be fine!"  
  
The younger man was a bit hesitant at first, but after a moment, he nodded and pulled out his wallet. "Sorry we were gone so late, Misao. I hope this pays for all your trouble." Sanosuke stated and placed a fifty in her hand.   
  
She blinked and looked up to him. "Of course it does, Sanosuke!" She exclaimed with a grin. "Thanks! Sweet dreams to ya!" She announced, and gave Sanosuke a quick hug before she walked back to the door where her shoes were.  
  
Saitou walked over to Sanosuke and gave him a goodnight kiss. Sanosuke gave him a lazy smiled and pulled him into a hug before he could leave. "I had a good time, Hajime, thank you."  
  
"I did too. I'll call you tomorrow, all right?" Saitou said, ending his statement with a quick kiss on the forehead.  
  
Sanosuke nodded, "Sounds great..." and then watched as Misao disappeared with a wave and Saitou with a smile.  
  
He waited until they were out the door to walk up and lock it. Sanosuke turned around, wrapping his arms around himself to warm up a little bit, now that the heat Saitou carried was gone, and walked over to the kitchen. He looked around for a moment, before he heard a pair of small footsteps walking down the stairs. He smiled to himself for a moment, and turned around as he heard a small, yet loud, "Daddy...!" coming from the doorway.  
  
He looked around and smiled. "What are you doing up, Aya-chan?"  
  
She cocked her head, and began to run, latching onto Sanosuke leg. He blinked, but smiled, kneeling down to pick her up. "I missed you, daddy!"  
  
He smiled and turned back to the refrigerator. "I missed you too, Aya-chan."   
  
She cuddled into the crook of his neck and asked quickly, "Did ya have fun?"  
  
"Yes, I did. I had a great time." Sanosuke answered, pulling out a small juice box.  
  
Aya looked him in the eyes as he poked a whole in the juice box with the straw and began drinking. "Daddy... do you like the off'cer?"  
  
Sanosuke nodded. "Yes, I do."  
  
"A lot?" She asked again, raising her voice in question.  
  
Sanosuke looked back around to her and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, why?"  
  
"'Cause... sometimes you seem lonely. I dun know why, either, you have Aya! But you do, and you need someone else to make the loneliness go away..." She answered, and Sanosuke felt his heart speed up again, thinking about Saitou.  
  
"Really? Do you like Hajime, Aya-chan?" Sanosuke asked, as he began to walk up the stairs to their rooms with Aya in his arms.  
  
Aya nodded. "Yep! I do! We're friends! And now you're friends!" She announced with a giggle.  
  
Sanosuke smiled as he began to walk into Aya's room.  
  
"No!" Aya sudden squealed, and Sanosuke stopped.   
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I wanna stay with you tonight, daddy, please?" She begged, giving him her puppy eyes.   
  
He chuckled and nodded, changing his direction to head into the other room. His room. He stopped at the doorway and looked around. There was a draft in the room. He set Aya down and walked over to the window with a sigh. "Did Misao open this window?" He asked, looking over to Aya.  
  
Aya shook her head. "Nope."  
  
"Then who did? This was shut when I left." He stated, knowing that Aya was too short herself to open it.  
  
She shrugged. "Let's go to sleep now, daddy! I'm tired!" She pressed, and Sanosuke nodded.  
  
"Yeah, just a second, all right? I need to change, you can jump in bed."  
  
Aya nodded, and did just that, hopping over to the bed.   
  
Sanosuke looked around in his closet for a moment, and pulled off his clothes, tossing them into the hamper. He pulled on a pair of drawstring pants and turned off the light. He hobbled back over to the bed, where he could hear Aya jumping up and down, and sat on the edge. He tackled the girl with a smile, and pulled both of them under the covers. She giggled, snuggling up to her daddy's bare chest and let out a sigh.  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"I love you!" She cuddled against him, and Sanosuke nodded.  
  
"I love you too, Aya-chan."  
  
The room was silent as Sanosuke closed his eyes and began to drift off to sleep. His body was tired, and he wanted to get back to sleep as soon as he could. But then there was a voice that pulled him away from his sleep.  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
"Hm?" Sanosuke answered, but this time it was more of a grunt than a thoughtful noise.  
  
"You smell like the off'cer." Aya stated.  
  
Sanosuke chuckled and nodded, half asleep. "Yeah... I do..."  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Do you like the off'cer enough to get married so Aya can have a lil' bro'er?"  
  
"Yeah..." Sanosuke mumbled, less than half-aware of what he was saying, and then fell asleep.  
  
Aya giggled. "Yay!"  
  
-------------------------------  
  
"This is where you live, right?" Saitou asked Misao, gesturing over to the house she had directed him to.  
  
She nodded a quick, "Yup," as Saitou pulled in the driveway and hesitated to get out as she looked back at the officer. "Saitou-san?" She asked cautiously.  
  
He looked at her and answered with a questioning, "Hm?"  
  
"About Sanosuke..." She began, crossing her arms.  
  
He nodded, urging her to continue. "What about him?"  
  
"I've been baby-sitting Aya for three years, but this is the first time I've baby-sat her because he's gone out with someone... I just wanted to tell you that..." She paused and groaned. "God, why can't I say this?" She mused aloud.  
  
Saitou waited patiently for her to gather her words.  
  
"He's never really... shown interest. And if he has, it's been over-ruled by Aya. Know that he's going to put her ahead of you, and he has to. And if you can't deal with that, I want you to end it quickly before you hurt him. I want you to know that, because it seems like he's serious about this, so please don't break his heart." She reached into her pocket.  
  
"And please, give this back to him." She pulled out the fifty. "He always over-pays me, and I feel bad about it."  
  
Saitou looked at the money carelessly. "You can just hold onto that, and keep it as pay in advance. We may drop Aya off with you tomorrow."  
  
Misao blinked. "Are you sure?"  
  
He nodded. "Yes, are you free tomorrow?"   
  
She gripped her bag with a smile on her face. "Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow then?"  
  
She hopped out of the car, leaning down over the open window to quickly say, "It was nice to meet you, Saitou-san! And thank you for taking me home!"  
  
He bobbed his head in acknowledgment and waited in his car to make sure that she got in all right. Once he made sure that her front door was unlocked, he pulled out of the driveway with a smile on his face as he drove home.  
  
--------------------------  
  
Sanosuke woke up to the sound of his cell phone ringing.  
  
And ringing.  
  
And ringing.  
  
And ringing.  
  
He groaned and rolled over on his side to find that there was no Aya in there with him. He frowned, but he was still too asleep to think anything of it. He fell, once again into a welcomed sleep.  
  
--------------------------  
  
Sanosuke's loud snoring was interrupted by a bouncing on his bed, which he quickly rolled away from. That was Aya's favorite way of waking him up, and he ignored her by rolling away each and every time. Except this time, he rolled into a warm lap. He frowned and slowly opened his eyes to a pair of black designer pants. Nope, that was not Aya.  
  
His eyes slowly traveled up the leg to a figure sitting up on his bed.   
  
"H-Hajime!? What the hell are you doing here?!" Sanosuke demanded, eyes wide as he recognized the man seated next to him.   
  
Saitou smirked as he ran a hand through the rooster head's mass or unruly hair. "I called earlier, and Aya invited me over."  
  
Sanosuke looked around to the little angel smiling innocently at his other side.  
  
"Aya-chan!"  
  
"What is it, daddy? You said that you liked him enough to marry him! What's wrong with him comin' over?" She demanded, tugging at the blanket around the man.  
  
Sanosuke flushed slightly. "Aya-chan!"  
  
Saitou chuckled as he looked at the two. "I just thought that since today was a Saturday, I could take Aya and you to the park." The older man stated, and was promptly glomped by the child.  
  
"Jime made me breakfast too!!" She giggled, and that left Sanosuke to raise an eyebrow.  
  
"Jime?" He echoed, and she nodded.   
  
"It was a yummy breakfast!"  
  
Sanosuke sat up carefully. "That's good to hear... Aya-chan, if we're going to the park, why don't you head over to your room and get ready?"  
  
She nodded and scampered off.  
  
Sanosuke's eyes meet Saitou's as he cocked his head slightly. "How long have you been here?"  
  
"About a half-hour."  
  
"Why the fuck didn't you wake me up?" Sanosuke asked drably, still not fully awake.  
  
Saitou chuckled. "Well, it's good to know that you slightly watch your mouth around impressionable youth."  
  
Sanosuke shrugged. "I try."  
  
Saitou shook his head, but leaned forward to cover the younger man's mouth with his own. Sanosuke smiled as Saitou pulled away after a moment. "Mm, now that's a good way to start a morning."  
  
"Get your ass moving and it will be an even better day." Saitou stated as he stood up.  
  
Sanosuke grinned and shot him a grin, "Hey, I need to take a shower, wanna join me?"  
  
Saitou's face looked almost thoughtful as he responded, "Hm, tempting, but there's a child in the house, and I think I'll watch her while you do that."  
  
"Damn." Sanosuke stated and began to walk out of the room. "Well, have fun, I'll see ya in twenty minutes."  
  
Saitou nodded in acknowledgment and headed around the house to find Aya.  
  
----------------------  
  
The hot water poured down Sanosuke body, and felt great, loosening his tight muscles. He was tense, but this made him smile. He had always loved showers, and this was just the right thing after a great night... and an even better night's sleep. There was a knock on the door, and Sanosuke turned around to peer out from behind the curtain and called out, "Come in! Door's open!"  
  
Saitou stepped in, and Sanosuke raised an eyebrow. "Come to take me up on my offer?"  
  
"Not exactly, as tempting as it is. I was just wondering where you kept the honey. Aya wants me to make her oatmeal and honey." Saitou explained.  
  
Sanosuke brushed a trickle of water out of his eyes, and said quickly, "It's on the top shelve of the pantry. I hid it up there so she couldn't grab it. She has a thing with honey... Just make sure that you're the one that puts it on! Don't leave her alone with it!"  
  
Saitou nodded, gave Sanosuke a quick look up and down before disappearing with a smirk on his face. Sanosuke blushed slightly and ducked back behind the curtain with a ridiculous smile on his face.  
  
----------------------------  
  
"Tell me when." Saitou instructed as he began to pour the honey in a thin stream down into the bowl of oatmeal, looking at the girl seated on the counter, eyes intently on the food as she swung her feet.  
  
"More!" She commanded. "More!"  
  
Saitou shook his head, chuckling and squeezed just enough to cover the surface of the oatmeal.   
  
"More!"  
  
"No more for you. This is more than enough." He quickly capped it off, and set it at the top of the shelve where it had been before.  
  
"No fair! I wanted more!" The small girl continued to wail.  
  
Saitou gave her a firm stare that shut her up immediately. He stirred the bowl quickly to mix the honey in with the rest of the oatmeal. He slid it to the girl on the table, smile widened as she dug in.  
  
"Thank you, 'Jime!" She cheered, and hopped up to give his neck a hug.  
  
Sanosuke made his way into the room to see Aya still perched on the counter, eating the bowl of food set in front of her. He made sure that the towel around his waist was secure before he walked into the room and saw Saitou.  
  
Aya waved to her daddy with a big smile on her face, one that Saitou saw and peered around to see just what she was smiling at.   
  
Sanosuke greeted the older man with a big hug, and then quickly hunched down to hug his daughter.  
  
"How are ya doing, Aya-chan?"  
  
Aya peered up with a smile. "I'm eatin'!"  
  
"That doesn't tell me how you're doing." Sanosuke stated, poking her small nose.  
  
She shook her head. "I'm eatin'!!"  
  
Sanosuke smiled and looked back at Saitou. "We're gonna head out now?"  
  
Saitou nodded. "As soon as Aya's done with her breakfast."  
  
------------  
  
End of part four  



	6. Chapter Five

Notes: Well -- I had two plot developments that I had to chose between, and this is just the one that won over and I had to do first. I'm mean. I know.   
  
Warnings: Angst, Sano/Saitou  
  
Crying Roses  
  
By: Emmy  
  
Part Five  
  
--------------------------  
  
Sanosuke smiled as he leaned into the embrace of the man that had his arms wrapped around him. "Hajime?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Why are ya doing all this for me?"  
  
"Because I want to, Sanosuke."  
  
Sanosuke nodded and closed it eyes. The trio had been together for little over a month now and at the current time, Sanosuke and Saitou were cuddling on Saitou's bed. Yes, they were in Saitou's home, in front of Saitou's **huge **home entertainment system. Aya was seated on the floor, shuffling through a pile of videos that Saitou and Sano had bought her.   
  
She had a big job.  
  
She had to decide what they were all going to watch tonight.  
  
Sanosuke leaned up and stole a quick, wet kiss from Saitou as the Aya squealed in delight.  
  
"I know what we're gonna watch!"  
  
"And what's that, Aya-chan?"  
  
She hopped up to the couple and handed the DVD to Saitou. Saitou nodded, and stood up to set everything up. Sanosuke opened his arms wide with a smile and announced, "Come're, kiddo!"  
  
Aya giggled and hopped into her father's arms.   
  
The older man finished with the setting up and set back down into the bed with a remote controller in his hands. Sanosuke pulled Aya close to him as he pressed himself to Saitou with a grin.  
  
This was heaven on Earth, he wouldn't trade it for anything.  
  
------------------------------  
  
Sanosuke walked slowly back into Saitou's room where the other man lay and smiled in the doorway. He had just gotten back from tucking Aya into a bed in the guest room that Saitou had graciously lent the little girl. "Thanks a lot for getting those for her... she really loved them..."  
  
Saitou merely nodded, patting the place on the bed besides him.  
  
The younger man smirked and walked over, falling into his lovers arms.   
  
"Sanosuke?" Saitou asked, and Sanosuke peered up for a moment, placing a chaste kiss on the other man's forehead.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
There was another pause, and that didn't set too well the the rooster headed youth. He frowned, looking at the man, and then shook his head.  
  
"What is it, Hajime...?"  
  
"It's about Aya."  
  
Sanosuke's stomach lurched.   
  
He couldn't be talking about...  
  
"What is it..?"  
  
"I was just--"  
  
"Yer not gonna tell me that we're gonna have to end things because I have Aya-chan, are you!?" Sanosuke demanded, pulling away from the man wildly, standing up on the floor.  
  
Even though fear and despair was evident on Sanosuke's face, Saitou couldn't help but break out laughing.  
  
Sanosuke blinked, watching the man. "What the hell is it!?" He demanded.  
  
"Nothing. I just find it amusing that your reaction was that." Saitou got out inbetween fits of... uncharacteristic laughter.  
  
"What... so what do you mean...?"  
  
"I was just wondering when she was starting kindergarten." The older man replied with a smirk slapped to his face.  
  
Sanosuke blanked. "What?"  
  
"It's about that time, isn't it?"  
  
Another pause.  
  
"I... I guess it is..."  
  
Saitou stood up and took the rooster head into his arms, chuckling once more. "You actually thought that's what I was going to ask about, Sanosuke?"  
  
"I don't know! But ya know... at least now you know my biggest fear, man... don't do that again... next time just cut me off and don't let me scare myself like that..." Sano mumbled, shaking his head.  
  
The brunette grinned, and tackled the older man to the bed, pinning him beneath his body.   
  
Saitou raised an eyebrow. "And what's this about?"  
  
"Heh. What do you thinkit's about?"  
  
"You're going to run the risk of your daughter waking up?"  
  
Sanosuke gave the man a feral grin. "We'll just have to make sure to stay quiet."  
  
Sanosuke leaned down and covered Saitou's mouth with his own, nibbling lightly on the older man's bottom lips. Sanosuke laced his fingers through the midnight locks of his lover's hair, pulling the man closer to him. Their bodies pressed together perfectly. Saitou's arms wrapped around the young, lithe body as his hands began to roam lower until they were under the boy's shirt. He tugged at the edge, and quickly pulled the fabric over Sanosuke's head.  
  
He kissed down the boy's neck, pulling their bodies closely together.  
  
Very closely.  
  
"Saitou..." Sanosuke groaned in a breathy whisper.  
  
"What ever happened to being quiet?" Saitou asked back, voice low and sultry.  
  
Sanosuke laughed, pulling the man back down to his lips.   
  
"I'm tryin', I'm tryin'. Shaddup."  
  
"Heh. This is going to be a long night..."  
  
"Well, that doesn't bother me at all."  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Saitou had had a long day at work and came home a little later than he usually did. Usually he got home around six, just in time to start dinner for Sanosuke and Aya when they came back from kindergarten and other programs. Aya had been attending kindergarten for about a month now, and was proud to say that she was one of the most popular girls in the class.  
  
Only tonight Saitou came home late.  
  
It was around nine when he walked in and paused to the sound of silence.  
  
The sound of silence...  
  
Ever since Sanosuke and Aya had moved in the house was almost **-never- **quiet. What was wrong with this picture?  
  
He walked into the kitchen, flicking the light on.  
  
He was a little surprised to see Sanosuke sitting on the counter, just waiting for him. Saitou cocked his head as he looked at the troubled expression on the other man's face. "What is it, Sanosuke?"  
  
Sanosuke looked up carefully and reached in his coat pocket for a letter. He stretched out his hand, the crumbled piece of paper in it.   
  
"What's this?" Saitou tried again, but got no response.  
  
He opened the crumbled piece of paper and looked in at its contents. His eyes scanned the text,.  
  
And then his heart skipped a beat.  
  


_ To Sanosuke Sagara:_  
  
_ It has come to my attention that you have been watching my daughter for about five years. I only recently found out that Megumi had died. I want to take responsibility for her now. I thank you from the depths of my heart for watching her. I'll be coming to pick her up a week from now, and the 24th. Please pack her things so I can come and take her then._  
  
_ Thank you again._  
  
_ Sincerely, _  
  
_ Yoshimita Takimaru_  


  
  
Saitou looked from the letter up to Sanosuke. Sanosuke bitterly gripped the counter, his jaw clenched. "He can't fucking do that... can he...!?" He demanded, his voice cracking. "He can't take her away from me..."  
  
"He's her biological father... he can..." Saitou calmly stated, walking closer to where Sanosuke was sitting on the counter's edge. He wrapped his arms around the boy, holding him tightly. "I'm sorry..."  
  
Sanosuke shook his head over and over, burring his face in Saitou's shoulder.  
  
"This isn't happening... this isn't happening... This... _can't _be happening..."  
  
Saitou pulled away just enough to kiss Sanosuke's forehead. He could feel hot tears soaking the shoulder of his shirt. He just stroked the younger man's face, kissing him lightly, trying to console him.  
  
Saitou spoke carefully, "Sanosuke, where's Aya?"  
  
"I... I dropped her off at Misao's... as soon as I got... that letter..." Sanosuke managed to get out in-between on-coming sobs.   
  
He felt so useless... so pathetic...  
  
"What are you going to do?"  
  
"What the... fuck can I do...?"  
  
"We can try to go against it. You adopted her. We can use the fact that you've been her full-time father for five years... We may have a chance..." Saitou stated, pulling the other man closer yet.  
  
"How much is that going to take...?"  
  
"A lot."  
  
"Doesn't matter... I'll do anything to keep her..."  
  
"That's good... we'll start all of this tomorrow. I'll get a hold of my lawyer. Right you need to relax." Saitou stated, rubbing the man's back.  
  
Sanosuke took a deep breath in.  
  
"Yeah -- I guess so..."  
  
-------------------------  
  
"Aya-chan?" Misao asked, walking into the guest room where she had put the little girl. Sanosuke and Saitou had asked her to watch her for a night... and told her about the circumstances. She gladly accepted and was now attempting to talk to Aya.  
  
She walked in to heard the small sobs coming from the inside of the room. Misao rushed to her side and scooped the small girl up into her arms. "What is it, Aya-chan?" She asked, kissing the girl on the cheek.  
  
"Daddy... Daddy's sad... I don't want Daddy to be sad... He's been real'y happy with the 'ffer lately... but now he's all sad..." She sobbed a little bit, sniffling in. "An' that makes Aya sad..."  
  
Misao pulled the girl close to her chest and gave her a tight hug. "It's all right, Aya-chan. Daddy will be happy again soon... I promise... just give him time. He doesn't want to lose something important to him, and right now he's trying to keep it with all of his might... please understand. And just be there for your daddy, all right?"  
  
Aya nodded, "'m always there for my daddy! He told me once that I was all he's got! I love my daddy!"  
  
Misao nodded, feeling small tears well up in her eyes.  
  
She didn't want to admit it, but it was going to be next to impossible to win against the biological father... and they all didn't want to see Aya, the girl that they had grown up with leave like this...  
  
---------------------  
  
End of part five 


	7. Chapter Six

Notes: Wahh! There's next to no yaoi is this chapter! sobs in corner Oh well - we have ACTUAL plot progressions! Yay!! :D Have fun reading! I like this chapter  
  
Warnings: Not too much at all…. :S Typical Sano/Saitou  
  
Crying Roses  
  
By: Emmy  
  
Part Seven  
  
Sanosuke sat on the counter with the letter, from the night before, limply hanging from his grasp. His mind was in other places, and in all seriousness, he didn't want to be there. He wanted to be with his daughter… the daughter that he was going to have to give away to someone he didn't even know in soon…  
  
He had spent all morning looking up information about child custody on the Internet while Saitou was at work.  
  
He wasn't sure if he could face Aya-chan and tell her to news just yet, and thus asked Misao to take care for the girl a little bit longer. He needed to gather his bearings before he could face her… or anyone else for that matter.  
  
After a few moments, he was snapped out of his daze by the ringing of the phone. He shook his head and dug around in-between couch cushions for the phone.  
  
He groaned as he found it, the battery almost out. "Hello?"  
  
"Sanosuke, today at work I was looking up points in the file as to how we could win you custody," Saitou told him on the other end of the phone.  
  
"And what did you find!?" His voice was demanding; scared.  
  
But he needed to know more than anything.  
  
"Well I found that the main issues dealing with custody is child endangerment, parental alienation, lengthy childcare, mental illness, verbal or mental abuse, drug of alcohol abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence, denying visitation, lying to the child, kidnapping, new stepparent, best interest of child, neglect and poor living conditions." Saitou finished, taking in a deep breath. "And from all that information, I have to say that we know next to nothing about the true father. We would need to check you out for drug and alcohol abuse by taking a blood test, but after that we could start working on the case. When I looked back in some old police files, there have been instances in which the non-biological father has been able to keep custody of the child. However, in order to have a chance we're going to have to be able to find some huge flaw in this guy."  
  
Sanosuke took in a deep breath. "Thanks, Saitou. What do I need to do?"  
  
"Right now, I scheduled a blood and urine test for you at St. Mary's hospital this afternoon. I told them about the case, but they think that it's official police business, so please try to be discreet about it, all right? They're going to test your health, and if you've been using drugs. I hardly think that there's any blood alcohol level in your blood stream right now, but then again the topic of drugs has never cone up between us so…" Saitou trailed off, allowing the other man to fill in the rest of the sentence.  
  
There was a moment of silence.  
  
"When are the tests?" Sanosuke asked, a little choked up.  
  
"You can head over in an hour. I'll be home in two, all right?"  
  
"Thank you, I really appreciate it."  
  
"And Sanosuke?"  
  
"… yes?"  
  
"I'm going to pick up Aya from Misao's on my way home from work. You two need to be together."  
  
Another pause.  
  
"Hajime?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"What do you think…?" Sanosuke asked with a pause.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Do… do you think that I'm going to win, what are my chances? I don't know… I don't know what I'd do without her…" Sanosuke admitted a little bitterly, his hands moving hesitantly between his hips and pockets.  
  
"Sanosuke." Saitou began, his voice a tad more wary than before. "I know that we'll win. We have to, all right? He may have rights since he is the biological father, but I'll get you the best lawyer. If the judge has any humanity in him, then you'll be able to keep Aya, all right?"  
  
Sanosuke nodded, but didn't utter a word.  
  
"Thanks, Saitou. Really… I hope you're right."  
  
"I know I am." Saitou stated, a brief chuckle coming from his lips.  
  
Sanosuke laughed, "Yeah - ya always are. Well… I need to relax before I go… you know - get my heart rate and blood pressure down."  
  
"Sanosuke?"  
  
"Yes?" Sanosuke asked, this time a little more assertive.  
  
"I love you."  
  
A smile covered the man's face.  
  
"I love you too…"  
  
Before he could say anything else, the phone went dead, but Sanosuke didn't bother to call back. It was something that he was going to shrug off, at least it was the end of the conversation…  
  
He stood up and headed over to the shower. He needed to calm down a little bit, maybe a nice gush of hot water would snap him back into reality… Yeah - that's the ticket.  
  
"Daddy?" A small, meek voice called through the small house.  
  
She hesitantly stepped in, peering around.  
  
"Daddy! Where are you!?" She huffed, planting two small hands on two small hips.  
  
"He's here, Aya. Don't worry about it." Saitou assured as he pulled his jacket off, and then grabbed Aya's as well. He flipped the light switch on and walked through the entry way, a little worried.  
  
Where was Sanosuke?  
  
"Off'cer?" A voice requested, and Saitou looked down to see the little girl's arms wide open.  
  
"Yes, Aya?"  
  
"Pick me up!!"  
  
Saitou chuckled and knelt down at the girl's side, scooping her up in his arms.  
  
Aya looked at him with her big eyes and cocked her head slightly, "Where's daddy?"  
  
"He'll be coming home soon, all right? Why don't you go up to your room and get changed for bed?"  
  
Aya struck her tongue out. "I am dress'd fer bed!"  
  
The young girl rolled her eyes.  
  
Saitou chuckled. "Why don't you go and change into that nice, lilac nightgown that I bought for your birthday a few weeks ago?"  
  
She giggled. "Daddy broke it!"  
  
The older man raised an eyebrow, looking at the girl. "What was that?"  
  
"Daddy broke it!"  
  
"How do you break a nightgown?"  
  
"By havin' a bleech a'dent and spillin' it all over the floor! It broke into five pieces!" Aya displaced one hand full of extended fingers. She grinned, "I learned how to count ta five in preschool! See! One, two, five!"  
  
"I think you missed a few things." Saitou instructed with a small grin, running a hand through Aya's long, loose raven hair.  
  
"Nuh-uh!" Aya persisted.  
  
"Why don't you go and wreck one of Daddy's things because he did that to yours?" Saitou suggested with a smile.  
  
Aya's eyes widened. "What?! Daddy's stuff? I couldn't break Daddy's stuff! 'm a good-girl!"  
  
Saitou set the girl down on the stairs and ruffled her hair, "Yes, you are, Aya. Now go up and change, all right?"  
  
"Okie-Dokie!"  
  
Saitou looked around the downstairs for a trace of Sanosuke, or at least a note.  
  
But he found neither.  
  
He looked for the phone, only to realize that his battery was dead. He fished around in his pocket for his cell phone, something that he was sure he could relay on. After all, it had been about three years since he had gotten a 'No service.'  
  
He dialed in Sanosuke's number quickly and waited.  
  
It rang, many times before someone actually picked up.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Sanosuke? Where are you? Aya and myself were wondering how you were. And not to mention where you were. Where are you?"  
  
"Oh… Saitou… I…"  
  
"What's wrong, Sanosuke?"  
  
"I want to meet the guy before I just let Aya go with him, you know, went to check out if he was mentally stable or unstable so I might have a case."  
  
"Sanosuke! You can't just go over there!"  
  
"Don't worry, he doesn't know I'm here. I'm being really careful."  
  
"So you're stalking him!?" Saitou abruptly demanded, his voice heavy with worry.  
  
What was that ahou thinking!?  
  
"No! Not stalking him! Just following him!"  
  
"You're not doing anything for your case yet, Sanosuke." Saitou growled.  
  
The boy was so… thick sometimes!  
  
"Hey, I really have to go…"  
  
"Sanosuke, get back here right now!"  
  
"Yes, mom." Sanosuke bitterly commented, sarcasm dripping from his voice.  
  
"Aya's destroying your shirts in memory of that nightgown you wrecked."  
  
"She told you!? Man - Jime, I'm sorry! It just slipped, I didn't mean to wreck it… it was so nice too and-"  
  
"Sanosuke, just come back, that's all I'm asking. Come back now and I won't be upset about any of it. Just come back…" Saitou begged, rather angry that the roosterhead had done this to begin with.  
  
"Hey, I will, all right? Tonight, I just need to…"  
  
"Don't approach him, emotions are too messy. Especially in a court of law."  
  
"I'll talk to ya later. Bye."  
  
Click.  
  
Saitou glared down at the phone in his hands and clenched it angry, determined not to destroy anything.  
  
That ahou!  
  
Sanosuke looked out his car window, peering over his shades. Yeah - he felt really bad about hanging up on Saitou like that, however he didn't have any idea of what he was going through right now.  
  
He felt so helpless - so alone.  
  
He loved Aya, he loved her with all of his heart. He didn't know what he was going to do without the girl… He had raised her as his own. She was the thing that kept him sane; she was the thing that made him hold onto the reality that had given him nothing… nothing but a beautiful baby girl.  
  
She was the only memory of his best friend that weren't faded photographs.   
  
Megumi lived on in her daughter…  
  
He had been there for her, he had helped her through all those times, and this man just came into her world and demanded to take her away. Biological father?  
  
Yes, blood this thicker than ink, but this was different…  
  
He couldn't give Aya up to just anyone…  
  
This man better wow him.  
  
He stepped out of car and slammed the door. He needed to talk to him.  
  
He dug his hands into his leather jacket as he walked over to where the man was, depositing some letter in his mailbox.  
  
The man looked up. "Excuse me, can I do something for you?" His voice was stern, a little annoyed as well.  
  
Not the best was to make a first-impression.  
  
Sanosuke took a deep breath. "I'm Sanosuke Sagara… Aya's adopted father."  
  
There. Introductions done.  
  
He paused, and his eyes lit up slightly, "Oh, I've met you before! You were that man getting drunk at the bar when Megumi was throwing that party…!"  
  
Sanosuke flinched. "Back in 1998? Yeah - that New Year's Eve party…"  
  
The man laughed, "You weren't even old enough to drink!"  
  
"Um… that's not what I came to discuss, sir."  
  
The man reached out his hand to Sanosuke, "Well, of course not. It was so long ago! I can't wait to meet Aya! Is she looking forward to my visit?"  
  
The other man paused. "Aya doesn't know of your visit yet…"  
  
The man blinked, "And why doesn't she…?"  
  
He seemed genuinely confused. Sanosuke didn't know how to say it.  
  
"Well… I wanted to talk to you before anything else happened… before I decided whether or not I wanted her… to go with you." This was so hard… hard to talk about… hard to think about… hard to stay sane.  
  
"What do you mean, if you _decide _that you'll let her go with me? I'm her biological father! You can't deny me rights to take her!" His face was red with anger. He must have caught himself because he ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. "I'm sorry… I let my temper get the best of me… I appreciate all that you've done for her, and I'm eternally in your debt. But this is a good thing, Sanosuke. You were dumped with a child that wasn't even yours when you were so young! You can have fun now, and not worry about the traumas of parenting!"  
  
"Mister… you have no idea… I'm happy where I am now… I have someone that I love with all my heart, I don't need to get out and 'have fun.' But more than anything… I need Aya. And I don't know whether or not I can let you take her, if I do lose."  
  
The other man raised an eyebrow.  
  
"If you lose?"  
  
"Yeah - I'm taking this to court. I love her. I'm not giving her up."  
  
The man crumpled up a newspaper in his hands, crushing the middle.  
  
"Is this all that you came here to discuss, Sanosuke?"  
  
The man nodded. "Yeah - it is."  
  
"Then I suppose I'll see you in court."  
  
"Yeah. I suppose as much." Sanosuke finished and turned his back on the man, retreating back to his car.  
  
Well - the cards have been dealt and they were just going to have work with what they had. But one thing that Sanosuke didn't understand upon seeing Aya's father was one thing.  
  
Where did Aya get her eyes…?  
  
End of part seven  



	8. Chapter Seven

Notes: Ha... well, it's almost been over a year since I last worked on this fic... But I'm actually very happy... happy enough with MC's resurrection, and Erin and I are better now... so I thought that it would be good to work on finishing the fic... lol Short part, I know. I need a little bit of help to get back into my groove.  
  
Warnings: Sano/Saitou, angst sap  
  
**Crying Roses**  
  
By: Emmy  
  
**Part Eight**  
  
--------------------  
  
Sanosuke slowly walked back to his home, tired and exhausted. He had been living with Saitou for a while, but right now he needed to be alone, in his own home that had yet to be sold. Today was a day that he wouldn't have thought twice about forgetting. He had met Aya's father. He wasn't a bad guy, but he wasn't the guy that she SHOULD be with. Any father that waits years upon years to finally say their ready for their child isn't someone that child should be with. Especially if they had a loving home to grow up in.  
  
"Sanosuke."  
  
The young man peered up to the doorway where Saitou was displayed, hands placed on his hips with a scowl on his face.  
  
What a welcome home.  
  
But why was Saitou here? Did he know that Sanosuke was going to be coming home here?  
  
Sanosuke languidly crawled up to the steps and took a moment to look at the man, "Yeah?"  
  
"You shouldn't have been there. You shouldn't have done that. It was stupid, and you could have given the father something to use against you in court. He should have just remained a nameless entity that wanted to take Aya away from you." Saitou's voice was low and cold, the ice on the edges nipping at Sanosuke's skin.  
  
"Sorry. Had to."  
  
"Is that your only excuse?"  
  
"I don't think you should be critiquing my behavior." Sanosuke spat out, not ever bothering to think about what he was saying. He loved Saitou, but once in a while his emotions ran away with him.  
  
"I'm not. I'm just telling you exactly what you're doing wrong, shit that you're pulling that could take your daughter away from you! You'll loose Aya, because of something stupid you can't 'help.' What the fuck do you want me to say? I'm telling you the truth, learn to deal with it, Sanosuke!"  
  
It was the first time that Saitou had raised his voice at Sanosuke. The boy was relieved with that thought as well. He never wanted to see Saitou upset with him again. The bastard... even if all this was hard for him, he wasn't going to give Saitou the benefit of the doubt. He never would...  
  
"Just leave me the fuck alone. You wouldn't understand! Aya's my life, she's my--"  
  
"I would understand. I have two sons and a daughter. I would never let anything happen to them, even if it meant holding my tongue."  
  
Sanosuke froze. He paused, trying to think if he heard the man right. That couldn't be right... Saitou had...?  
  
"You're married." That was the only phrase that Sanosuke could manage to get out. His mind was numb.  
  
"Divorced."  
  
"You have kids."  
  
"Yes. I visit them once a month." Saitou's voice was kind. Sanosuke could tell that he felt fondly towards his own children.  
  
"You have kids and you didn't fucking tell me!? Hajime... what the fuck, I mean this isn't exactly something that I would never find out about... this means something! How could you NOT tell me?!" The younger man's voice cracked as he shook his head, clenching his balled fists.  
  
Saitou took a step closer to him and ran a hand along Sanosuke's cheek. "Shh. Aya's sleeping upstairs."  
  
So he had brought Aya home here too? At least it was a good thing that Saitou was still watching her...  
  
Sanosuke's eyes narrowed once more, and slapped away Saitou's hand.  
  
"Don't touch me..." He trailed off and turned to walk up the staircase. "I need to think... this is too much."  
  
Saitou watched the man's back with a sour expression on his face. What could he do? He hadn't lied directly to the boy, but he might as well have. He brought something so serious at the worst possible time. How could he have even thought about doing something like this? He had no fucking idea.  
  
Saitou took in a deep breath and turned to walk out the door. Sanosuke had firmly stated that he needed some alone time, and alone time was just what he was going to give him.  
  
------------------  
  
Aya peered around her door frame and looked out into the hallway right across to her daddy's room. All the commotion had woken her from a deep sleep and she wanted to know just what was going on. She crept out into the hall, holding the stuffed animal that Saitou had bought her, and reached up for the doorknob.  
  
She frowned. It was too high up!  
  
"Daddy!!" Aya found herself shouting. "Daddy!! Open door!!"  
  
Aya took the remaining time to jump up and down before Sanosuke did exactly what she had asked. He looked out into the hall, and his eyes landed upon Aya.  
  
"Daddy... wass wrong?" Aya slurred, latched onto the older man's leg. "You look sad..."  
  
"Nah, Aya. I'm fine, don't worry about it..." Sanosuke tried to convince the girl.  
  
She just shook her head, a pout on her face, "Daddy shoun'n lie to Aya!"  
  
"I just don't want you to get upset, sweetie." Sanosuke knelt down to the girl's side and picked her up, stroking her raven hair tenderly. "Do you wanna sleep with me tonight?"  
  
Aya's eyes widened and she began to nod fiercely. "A'course!"  
  
The man nodded and shut the door to his room, walking through the darkness to reach his bed. Her carefully hugged the little girl in his arms and quickly laid down on the bed. Aya curled up, wrapping her little arms around Sanosuke's neck with a content smile on her face. She hesitated for a moment, and then asked something loudly.  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
"What's up, baby?"  
  
"Where's Jime?"  
  
Her question was just a simple, innocent one. And yet, at he same time, it brought uncontrolled tears to him eyes. Sanosuke choked down a sob and took in a deep breath, clenching the pillow tightly to make sure he wasn't strangling Aya. She just had to notice that? She just had to ask that?  
  
"He's... not here right now, sweetie. He's... " Sanosuke broke off the sentence, taking a deep breath in. He couldn't think about it. He couldn't think about Saitou right now... he couldn't think about him at all... it would just hurt too much...  
  
"Let's just get to sleep." Sanosuke suggested, squeezing his eyes shut tight. This wasn't going to work... this was too much.  
  
All of it.  
  
Sanosuke just needed to get away from it, and right now the only escape he was offered was sleep.  
  
--------------------  
  
Sanosuke took a moment to stagger out of bed, and even when he did, he felt like collapsing back onto the lonely bed. He hesitated for a moment, not seeing Aya anywhere in site. What happened to his daughter?  
  
His eyes looked around the room desperately until he saw a note left on the night stand next to his bed.  
  
His heart fell.  
  
It was in Saitou's handwriting...  
  
He snatched it up quickly and read it ever quicker.  
  
_Sanosuke -  
  
I know that you are upset with me right now, and there isn't a thing that I can do about it. I told you the truth, even if it was at an inopportune time, and I want you to know that I love you. I took Aya for the morning because there's something I need to investigate. You know you can trust me with her, but if you want more of a justification, go ahead and call my cell phone. You know the number.  
  
--Saitou_  
  
Sanosuke's eyes narrowed and he threw back the covers. He raced downstairs to the nearest phone. It took him a total of 2.42 seconds to dial in Saitou's cell phone number.  
  
However, it was only on the fifth ring that he received word from the other end.  
  
"Hello--"  
  
"Hajime, what the fuck do you--!?"  
  
"I'm not available at the moment, but if you wish to contact me, leave a message."  
  
Beep.  
  
Sanosuke glared and slammed down the phone back onto the receiver.  
  
"Fucking asshole!" He screamed into the house, gripping his head with both of his hands. "You have no right... you have no fucking right, you fucking jackass!"  
  
----------------  
  
In the next hour, Sanosuke tried Saitou's cell phone a total of thirty-seven times. None of which made contact.  
  
He was frustrated, irritated and anxious.  
  
Every other word out of his mouth was 'fuck,' it was a good thing that Aya hadn't been there to get another colorful word to her young vocabulary. What a great thing to teach the kindergarten class for show and tell.  
  
Sanosuke snatched up the phone and dialed in the number one more time. He decided that if this one didn't go through he was just going to take a shower in-between tired.  
  
One ring.  
  
Two rings.  
  
Three rings.  
  
Four rings.  
  
Sanosuke shook his head.  
  
He was just going to get the fucking answering machine again...  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Sanosuke froze.  
  
It was a questioning hello... not a statement.  
  
Had he gotten through?!  
  
What the fuck!?  
  
"Saitou!?"  
  
"I see you received my note."  
  
"Why the fuck was your goddamn phone off?! I was trying to fucking call you!" Sanosuke exploded.  
  
"I didn't think you were going to be up so early and I had things to do."  
  
"Where is my fucking daughter?!"  
  
"Sanosuke, there's something that we need to talk about."  
  
"Talk about, my ass! I need to see Aya! I don't want you to have my fucking daughter! I want her back!"  
  
"Come home and I'll give her back to you."  
  
Home?  
  
Sanosuke's heart nearly skipped a beat.  
  
Saitou still wanted him to come 'home?'  
  
To their home?  
  
"I'm coming to get her right now. Don't move, you bastard."  
  
Saitou chuckled. "All right. Just hurry."  
  
"Damn straight I'm gonna hurry!"  
  
CLICK  
  
--------------------  
  
End of part seven 


	9. Chapter Eight

**Notes: **Hey buddies! I'm really sorry if some of this seems far-fetched, but, damnit, this is my universe!! LOL, thank you so much for all the feedback I've been getting, you're all awesome! :D**  
  
Crying Roses**  
  
By: Emmy  
  
** Part Eight**  
  
-------------------  
  
Sanosuke rushed to that house faster than he had anything in his entire life. He couldn't bear to spend another moment without Aya, because in all actuality, these were the last chances. Hajime had taken the girl away without his permission, although deep down he figured that it wasn't that big of a deal. He loved and trusted Hajime, even if he didn't want to take the time to admit it to himself.  
  
The man threw open the door without bothering to knock.  
  
"Aya!"  
  
"Daddy?" A somewhat groggy voice asked from behind a familiar couch. After that, a familiar head popped up. "Daddy!"  
  
Aya ran to her father with her arms outstretched, a huge grin slapped on her small face. Sanosuke knelt down and let his daughter climb up into his arms like a small monkey which she uncannily resembled. "Oh, baby. I missed you!"  
  
She giggled and clung a little closer, " It's on'y been a day. Oh, you're silly, daddy!"  
  
"Yes, daddy is silly, isn't he?"  
  
Sanosuke's eyes raised to meet the voice and found his heart warm slightly Hajime was looking down on his with his arms crossed, but warming his menacing, superior figure was a tell-tale smile on his face. Nothing could be menacing with Hajime smiling back at him like that. He quickly dismissed any anger that he had felt towards Hajime and knew that it must have been justified. This man standing in front of him would never do anything to intentionally hurt him. Holding his little girl and seeing his lover made everything perfect. But these things couldn't last for long, and that was something that he knew. He picked up his small child and stood up, stepping closer to Hajime. The first step he had taken to him instead of away from him. A change in pace...  
  
"Daddy!! Wait 'til I tell you about all the stuff that 'appened ta me today!" Aya giggled, pointing to a bandaide on her small arm.  
  
It had taken Sanosuke a few minutes to realize just what it was. Bandaide?  
  
"Aya, what happened to your arm, sweetie?" His eyebrows furrowed up in confusion.  
  
"Sano, your little girl was in the middle of a nap. Why don't we go and talk for a little bit and let her get the rest of her sleep. She did have a very busy day, after all." Hajime said calmly, reaching out to the child. "I could tuck her in and you could wait for me upstairs, but I'm sure that you'd prefer to do it, wouldn't you?"  
  
The other man gave a slightly breathy, "Yeah... **you **go up and wait for **me. **I'll be there in a second."  
  
Hajime nodded and quickly departed.  
  
Sanosuke looked down at his sleepy Aya and laughed. "You finish up your little nap, and then you can tell me the story, all right?"  
  
She nodded with a small yawn, her eyes dropping shut. She was ridiculously tired, over the years Sano knew when she was faking it and when it was real. Aya was a straightforward girl, but if there was one thing that she was bad about, it was knowing when her energy was spent, and because of that she fought desperately to keep up with the world as all hours of the night. That must have been a trait she picked up from her daddy.  
  
Laying her down softly, Sanosuke placed a quick peck on her forehead and whispered, "Have sweet dreams, baby."  
  
He pulled the knitted, deep navy blanket over her as she quickly drifted away. He turned from his daughter and headed for the stairs. Saitou would be waiting for him...  
  
The ascension was rushed as he sauntered his way into Saitou's room. He wasn't sure what Saitou was going to tell him, but that didn't the fact that it was probably something bad. Things just kept getting worse and worse.  
  
He took in a deep breath as he entered the room, and saw Saitou sitting on the edge of the bed, hands heavily supporting his body, gripped to his knees. "Hey there." He greeted with a small smile.  
  
Sanosuke waited for a moment, making sure that he was completely calm. He didn't want to lash out as Saitou before he knew exactly what the man was doing. "Tell me, now, Saitou."  
  
The man looked him in the eyes, gestured for Sanosuke to have a seat. The other man quickly refused and just told him to continue.  
  
"Sanosuke, do you remember the reason that I first came here to your home?" His face was complacent as he watched the man.  
  
"Yeah... it was about Mamoru's death, wasn't it?" He allowed a brief moment of sadness grace his face as he talked further. "What does that have to do with anything now?"  
  
"The case was put on a hiatus due to lack of evidence. Today, I took Aya in for a blood test, just on the off chance that Yoshimita Takimaru wasn't her biological father. I wasn't sure what type of a woman Megumi was, so I decided not to question it and just make a decision. He refused to take it, saying that he had nothing to prove, and he was disgusted that it would even be brought up that he wasn't Aya's father. I told him that since his name wasn't on the birth certificate, then he would have to take the paternity test, and without it he wouldn't be able to stand in court. I told him that I was taking Aya in this morning, so we would have her DNA ready and as soon as he was ready, it would already be there. That's where I took Aya this morning, and... to tell you the truth, I got more than what I bargained for." Saitou looked around the room before he stood up and took a few steps over to Sanosuke.  
  
"Wait... what are you telling me? How does this have to do with Mamoru?" Sanosuke voice became a little shaky, trying to understand what Saitou was getting at. But his mind refused to.  
  
"He came in while I was there, threw a tantrum, and ended up causing quite a ruckus at the hospital. He ran off after breaking a table, and being escorted out by security. I can't say that I'm the most... moral person out there, so I didn't hesitate and beg for his consent when I saw that he left a little bit of blood on the table from his tantrum. Since I was already there, I decided to use that . The nurses argued with me a little, but as soon as I flashed my badge, they immediately changed their minds. I was pissed that he tried to do something stupid around Aya. This would already help matters that he couldn't control his temper, but if this proved his nil relation to Aya, there wouldn't even be a reason to go to court."  
  
"You still haven't told me what this has to do with Mamoru." Sanosuke growled soundly, trying to keep his own dismay in check.  
  
"His DNA matched in the computer archive that's linked with the police mainframe. It matched with the blood that was found at the crime scene where Mamoru was killed."  
  
A moment of silence echoed through the room, Sanosuke jaw was agape.  
  
Eyes widened from the boy, the moment extending to a minute.  
  
"Yoshimita Takimaru... that fucker killed Mamoru?!"  
  
"Sanosuke. Nothing is certain yet, but we need to find him before anything else happens. We need to keep in eye on Aya."  
  
The rooster head collapsed forward into his own arms, wrapping around his body. He moved briefly to cradle his head in his palms. Grunts emanated from his throat and he spun around and drove his fist ferociously into the wall. "Fucking bastard!!!"  
  
Saitou rose to his feet and hurried over to the mans back, resting his hands on his shoulders. "It's all right, Sanosuke. I already called a few units out on him, he'll be arrested in no time."  
  
"Why is he after Aya?! Why!?" he screamed, pounding his fists continuously against the drywall. "Did he want to fucking take her away from me twice?!"  
  
The policeman tightened his grip on Sanosuke's shoulders, and pulled the man to his chest. "He does want Aya. For what reason, I'm not sure. But it is certain that he is not her biological father. She's all yours." Saitou hugged him, placing a gentle kiss on his neck. Sanosuke was quivering.  
  
"Goddamn right she's mine... she's my baby..."

* * *

Sanosuke walked down the stairs the moment that he calmed down, and entered into Aya's small room, just to get a look at his girl. Saitou was hovered nearby in the doorway, right behind the man.  
  
Turning away from the bed, now that he could see she was safe, he talked to Saitou.  
  
The two walked out of the room as Sanosuke spoke up, "I think I'm going to head back to my house to get some clothes for Aya. He obviously knows where my house is, but she should be safe here. We'll stay here until he's arrested..."  
  
Sanosuke felt a hand on his shoulder again, pulling him closer. "I was hoping that you would stay longer than that."  
  
The boy looked over his shoulder, looking slightly confused. "Do you seriously mean that?"  
  
"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it, Sanosuke."  
  
"Thanks, we'll see just how everything works out, and then I'll tell you my... decision."  
  
"Sanosuke," Saitou lowered his voice to a complete seriousness, "I've never done anything to upset you. You have no idea how sorry I am about how things ended last time. You mean so much to me, please accept my apology."  
  
The other man nodded and raised his hand. "Like I said, I'll get back to you about that."  
  
Saitou watched Sanosuke walk away, and then said to his back, "Be careful, Sanosuke."

* * *

Sanosuke dug through Aya's drawers with ease, grabbing a bagful of the young girl's clothing. His next stop was in the bathroom, grabbing her favorite shampoo, toothbrush, and soap. Aya just never felt comfortable until she was at home with familiar smells. Even if she **did ** feel at home with Saitou...  
  
"Yeah... she does, doesn't she?" Sanosuke said absently to himself.   
  
He shook his head and then paused for a moment, looking at his reflection in the mirror.  
  
The man took in another deep breath, and leaned all his weight on his hands, looking at himself. He ran a hand through his hair and shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't getting any younger... and with a little girl, as a bisexual man, things couldn't get much better.  
  
Sanosuke found himself smiling automatically as he thought of Saitou and turned away from the mirror. He leaned his seat against the edge of the linoleum, arching his back.  
  
The smallest trouble he had with Saitou had been that one thing about having children and a wife... and even then they were separate. Aya could meet his kids... maybe get a friend. Sanosuke hadn't remembered how old they were... maybe one of them could even baby-sit her, if they turned out to be older.  
  
For a final decision, he would ask Aya. Other than that... he felt good about things. And he loved Saitou more than anyone, with the exception of Aya.  
  
He walked out of the bathroom quickly, but then paused as he turned his direction, needing to pay one more visit to Aya's room. He needed to grab her a few of her stuffed animals.  
  
He reached out to flick on the switch, but hesitated as he felt a slight breeze in the room.  
  
Sanosuke bit his lip as he saw a shadow by the open window. He couldn't keep quiet anymore.  
  
"Come out, you son of a bitch!!"  
  
And sure enough, walked out from the shadows Yoshimita Takimaru.

* * *

End of part  



	10. Chapter Nine

Notes: Well, this is the end! Yay! Hope you enjoyed it! And by the way… I'll probably be doing some side-stories coming up, just post-Crying Roses, or something like that. I hope the wait was worth it, guys! And if not… you may lynch me ;) lol Thanks so much to all the comments I got from you guys, you're great! Feel free to e-mail me too:D

**Crying Roses**

By: Emmy

**Part Eight**

Takimaru looked around with a scowl to his face. His hands were deep into his pockets. "So where is little Aya-chan?" He asked cocking his head lightly to the left.

Sanosuke clenched his fists together and took a walk forward. "You bastard! You fucked with my family, you're going to get your ass beat into the fucking ground!"

He smirked. "Oh, is that so? How do you plan on doing that, Sanosuke? I have to get through you to get Aya. She's the most beautiful little girl I've seen, I want her for my own. Her gorgeous raven hair, her small smile. She'll make the best pet I've ever had. And you won't stand in my way to get to her. I thought that I could get her through other means, for fun, but since that isn't going to work I'll just take her from you like this."

"You thought that we actually wouldn't find out that you were just fucking with us! You thought that I was going to give her up so easily!" Sanosuke spat, words lashing from his swift tongue.

The man in front of him looked amused. "You keep mentioning 'we', Sanosuke. I find it interesting just how much you care about your this little fuck buddy of yours. Do you really think that he's going to keep you around for long? With a kid? All fags are interested is fucking, anyways. Just wait until you're all alone. He won't be with you, and then I'll take Aya away for me."

Sanosuke's teeth gritted together, but then he turned his anger turning into amusement. "You think that some shit like that is going to scare me! Give me a little more credit than that! I know you're trying to get me riled up to file a lawsuit against me, or something, but I'm going to kick your ass even without that! You think I give a shit when you're a fucking killer! You just better pray that I don't cut off your balls and shove them down your throat!"

Takimaru just grinned. "I'd like to see you try."

Before Sanosuke could lunge, something silver and metallic crossed his vision and he felt hot. Or, at least, his stomach did. And he hadn't remembered wearing a red shirt that day... which was even stranger.

And then there was the noise.

A single shot.

* * *

Saitou's eyes glanced over a magazine from his home as Aya giggled while watching TV. He flicked his eyes over to the clock and took in a deep breath. He was getting a little worried about Sanosuke, especially because he knew that the other man was quick to jump the gun when things involved what he held dear to him. After a few more minutes, he let out a sigh of relief when he heard the doorbell.

It was about time that the other man had gotten back.

"Daddy!" Aya giggled as she heard the same.

"He must have all your stuff for you." Saitou said quaintly as he twisted the door knob and pulled open the door.

Before he had a chance to react, something hit him. Cold and wet leaked onto him, and when his eyes scanned downward instantly, he saw brown, matted hair.

"Sanosuke?"

There wasn't an answer, but there was ragged breathing. Saitou lowered his arms to Sanosuke's shoulders, and that's when he heard Aya scream.

Her voice was shrill, and soon after the high-pitched frantic, tears burst from her wide eyes.

"Aya? What is it?"

"Daddy!" She ran over to the man and engulfed his tilted chest. As she pulled away for a moment, she was painted red.

It hit Saitou, and he flipped Sanosuke around in the entry way to see the paling youth covered in his own blood, partially dried, partially flowing. "Sanosuke! What happened! Can you hear me?"

He smiled faintly, and then collapsed.

Aya buried herself further into her father's chest, covered in a newly-reddened dress. Saitou quickly ripped Sanosuke's clothes from his body to see where the wound was coming from. His teeth were gritted tightly as Aya began to scream again. Saitou looked over to the hysterical girl and tried to calm her, asking as gently as he could, "Aya, honey? Could you go get the phone for me?"

Sobs erupted from her throat as her eyes remained on Sanosuke.

"Aya, I really need you to do this, for me and your daddy, all right?"

She nodded, and took off running.

Saitou redirected his attention to his bleeding, and now unconscious lover. "Sanosuke? Sanosuke!" He kept trying, hissing in his ear as he found the gaping wound right underneath his ribcage. His eyes narrowed as he grabbed a wad of fabric from the cloth that wasn't already soaked, and pressed it flush against the gash. Aya came back quickly and handed the phone to Saitou, finger-painting evident across the white body of the cordless.

He punched in 9-1-1 quicker than he ever had in his life.

"Daddy... is daddy OK?" She continued to beg, and Saitou tried to calm her as he sat trying to stop the bleeding, as well as attempting to tell 9-1-1 what was going on.

Saitou's eyes followed the trail that Sanosuke had left from the house, down the driveway, and then in the car. Red was everywhere. It was impossible that he could have lost that much blood and still made it here...

"Sanosuke... hang on..."

* * *

Aya sat, cuddled in a hospital chair next to her daddy as Saitou stood right outside the room with his partner, Miki Fumihara.

Saitou took in a deep breath as he looked over his lover in the hospital bed, still unconscious with wires and needles sticking out of him like he was a piece of machinery. It pained the man to see Sanosuke like this - and it downright sickened him to think of the man that did this. However, that's what Fumihara was discussing with him right that second.

"Yeah... when we got to the house, there was so much blood. But not all of it was Sanosuke. After being shot, that kid managed to kick the shit out of the fucker, just long enough to escape. Unfortunately, we won't be able to put him away." The fat man drew out, and placed his hands on his hips.

Saitou raised an eyebrow and redirected his gaze. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

There was a moment that passed before Fumihara continued. "He's already dead. While most of the blood inside the house was Sanosuke's, outside was a different story. You know why you first came to that subdivision?"

"The child's murder, what about it?"

"An insane parent of the murdered kid recognized the man and nearly had a nervous breakdown. He was coming home from work, and decided to hit him with the family Nissan. 'Accidentally' ran his ass over seven more times. It was a brutal mess. But the way I see it, he deserved it. I don't know about what's going to happen to the parent yet. Crime of passion, justified or whatever, we still have that dead body." He finished and looked back over into the room, as Aya was climbing up on the bed a little more to cuddle with Sanosuke's shoulder.

"Thank god Sanosuke didn't do anything to that man. Now there isn't anything left to worry about." Saitou took in a deep breath. "But if that sick fuck was still alive, I'd be doing more than running him over with a car."

Fumihara laughed nervously, "Woah, there, boy. Now, aren't you glad that I made you take this case? Ya met the love of your life! See, everything worked out!"

"Don't joke. I'm not in the mood."

Clasping his hands, the chubby officer shook his head, "Everything will be all right. Sanosuke's getting blood right now, and on top of that, there won't be any long-term damage. Just a little gunshot wound. You've had your fair share of those, eh, Saitou?"

"Yeah."

Saitou's answer was gruff and short. He was angry, and felt unfulfilled when it came to Takimaru. Even so, he continued to tell himself that Sanosuke was all right, and everything was going to turn out okay.

"Yeah... this is awkward, so I'm taking off."

"Yeah."

And with that, Fumihara scampered away.

Saitou walked into the room and ruffled his hand through Aya's raven hair. She turned around and looked up to him with a pout sewn onto her face. "When is Daddy gonna be up?"

Saitou picked her up and took the seat she was sitting at, as well setting her on his lap. "As soon and he's no longer tired. He's just taking a nap, honey, don't worry. He'll be fine soon."

She sniffed and looked around. "I don't like 'ospitals."

"Well, your daddy might need to stay here for a little bit. This place is taking care of him, it's a good place."

"Aya hates this place! The smell's weird... it's all weird... too 'any people hurt... too 'any people are cryin'... that's why people bring in flowers to get cheered up... to cover the smell, dat's what daddy 'old me! He said dat when people cry, their tears can be getti' rid of from the roses, why doesn't daddy have roses?"

"I'll get him roses very soon, honey."

With a tear in her eye, she looked around. "Mommy's somewhere in here... I wanna find her. Daddy said that mommy just stayed here at the 'ospital, and it took her away from us. She's lost... I hope there's a lotta roses where she is... I dun want her to cry..."

"Aya, honey, the hospital won't take me away from you like mommy..." A weak voice spoke up.

Two pairs of eyes darted over to where the noise came from.

"Sanosuke? How are you feeling?" Saitou asked immediately. trying not to sound as worried as he was. Needless to say it didn't work.

The bed-ridden man let a small smile come to his face. "Eh, I think I'm doing all right, for being shot and then fucking driving while I was bleeding my guts out. Did I lose my spleen, or anything? Everything's still there?"

Saitou smiled and nodded, "Everything's still there, but you lost blood. Is there anything that I can get for you?"

"Morphine, please."

"You have Demerol, you'll be all right."

He smiled lightly and reached out his hand for Aya. "Hey baby, how ya doing?"

"Daddy! I missed you!"

"I missed you too, but now you don't have to worry about that bad man that wanted to take you away from me. Nothing's going to happen. He hurt daddy, and he's gonna pay." Sanosuke whispered softly, stroking the small hand in his palm.

"He's already paid."

Sanosuke's eyes widened, "What do you mean?"

"He was killed by Mamoru's father when he was trying to escape. You don't have to worry about him either." Saitou stated simply.

"What!" The boy demanded, flabbergasted. "He was a politician! His career is over because of-"

"Sometimes it's insane the things that we find ourselves doing for out loved ones, for our..." Saitou took a pause and cupped his hands around the connection Sanosuke and Aya were already sharing, "family."

A moment of silence passed through the room, but it wasn't an awkward silence. It was a comfortable, happy silence of knowing, and then Aya giggled.

"'Jime? Will you be my mommy?"

Sanosuke burst out laughing. "Aya, you rock my world, little girl. That would mean that we'd have to go dress shopping for him, huh? Maybe you two could even get something to match!"

Saitou even found himself chuckling, "Sanosuke, if you didn't just get a bullet in the gut, I'd punch you."

"Aww, I love you too."

* * *

Hours had passed in the off-white rooms, and Misao had already visited to take Aya for the night while Saitou stayed to look over the drugged boy. After a light supper, the two sat in front of the TV for a little bit, until Sanosuke turned over to Saitou.

"Hey, Hajime?"

He raised an eyebrow and nodded the boy ahead.

"Did you mean that? About... family?"

"I meant it, of course."

"And you meant it about moving in together?"

Saitou turned in his chair to face Sanosuke and look the boy in the eyes. "Sanosuke, why would I say something like that and change my mind? Because you got shot? Because you might be accident prone? Because you still have a child? None of that matters to me, Sanosuke. I'm going to take care of you. And I want to do it forever. I love you, and I love Aya just as much. There's nothing to worry about."

Sanosuke took in a deep breath as Saitou kissed him lightly on the lips.

"And that's a promise?"

"That's a promise, Sanosuke."

The boy looked down to his lap and then turned back. "You're amazing, Hajime. Thank you..."

"Is something else bothering you?"

A moment passed before anything was said. "I don't know. Just... all this. It's crazy. There are just so many things I've never thought about since I've had Aya. So many things that just hit me in the past month. So many questions keep bugging me when I'm trying to sleep, I don't know, maybe it's just the medicine. But I just wonder, how long will this work? Will Aya ever become trouble for you? Who is Aya's real father?"

"This is going to work, Aya will never be a chore to me. And it doesn't matter who Aya's father is - don't set out on too many adventures this soon, Sanosuke. We'll look into it in the future, but not right now. Just, for now, rest, and realize that as soon as you get out, everything's going to be great."

"Yeah?"

"I'll kiss away the tears, until you heal and I'll get roses to fill your room, since Aya told me that's the cure-all method."

"Heh, thanks. As long as they're pink."

"Whatever you want."

* * *

End of Story 


End file.
